tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44163122957935467632014-10-03T00:54:27.458-04:00Wonce Again Long IslandThis blog is not affiliated in any way with the New York Islanders, but its misanthropic author tries to analyze anything and everything about them with some degree of accuracy. Watch him fail spectacularly at this endeavor in such esoteric arenas as prospect info.Matty Monkeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886209051694436068noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4416312295793546763.post-61408778896252206772010-11-08T00:23:00.003-05:002010-11-08T00:54:52.899-05:00Your woefully belated Isles-Flyers review<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This one was a hard-fought contest at the Coliseum that ended in heartbreak for the Islanders, with the surging Flyers yanking this one out in the third period on Andreas Nodl's ricochet goal. Essentially, at this point, we know what the Isles are missing and why they're struggling (detailed below, but if you've been following along, this'll sound really familiar). Whether they play reasonably well like they did tonight or play like dog doo as they did the previous six games, these warts will always stick out until they're solved. Ultimately, I'm OK with it. Rome wasn't built in a day, and the team will still have growing pains and things of that nature.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Positives</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>The Islanders resembled an actual NHL team tonight. </b>Against one of the NHL's top squads, they had prolonged possessions in the offensive zone (missing lately), good positioning on D (woefully absent), and consistent forechecking pressure (ditto). They hung right in there until the end, when a combination of a bad break and a missed assignment sunk the ship. Either way, this was an encouraging performance, all things considered.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>The power play looked good again.</b> It sagged a little bit recently, but Bobrovsky had to be borderline superhuman to keep the Isles out of the net all but one time. Good puck movement, good vision, good net front presence nearly every time. The PP had been keeping them afloat in the beginning, so it's good to see the beginnings of a resurgence in that area.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Negatives</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>The play at even strength wasn't much better. </b>The stats don't lie here: the Isles are the worst even-strength team in hockey, and it's mainly because none of the players can really skate. The number of times a fast, skilled player totally burns an Islander defenseman is piling up by the game. My least favorite player (taking over for P.A. Parenteau), Mike Mottau, has been particularly guilty of this. Roasted by Claude Giroux to set up a gimme two-on-one that Jeff Carter shanked, Mottau was seen with smoke coming out of his ass after the game. His lapses are getting really, really old.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>It's official, and I'll stop posting it unless it becomes particularly horrible: the Isles have nobody to clear the crease at all.</b> The two Flyers goals came because nobody had the sense to knock anyone off the front of the net. Radek Martinek had to get physical on one shift to knock his man out of the danger zone, an uncharacteristic reaction we'll probably never see from him again. Mike Richards scored on a deflection by hanging out unmolested in front of Dwayne Roloson. On the second goal, Nodl had all day to knock the puck past a dazed Roloson when he skated into the low slot and nobody covered him.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>The Isles' transition passing has been abominable.</b> With Streit and MacDonald out, no one's able to start a rush out of the defensive zone anymore. Jack Hillen has tried his best, but he can't make up for the woes of the other five guys playing with him. Nobody can place a pass tape-to-tape, and it's been a nightmare. So many potential breakouts are stymied by a fumble or overshoot from the passer.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>On the Flyers</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Big, nasty, and skilled-- in other words, pretty much as advertised. As much as I like Carter, Richards, Giroux, and Timonen as players, though, the entire team's success is predicated on Pronger. Sure, Duncan Keith won the Norris last year. Sure, until he got hurt, Drew Doughty was on the rise and seemed poised to take the throne. I'm not buying either of them just yet; I'll go with the thoroughbred until he shows me that he's <i>not</i> the best defenseman alive and arguably the prototype for every defenseman to come after him.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In my young hockey-viewing career, Pronger is the best defenseman I've ever seen, hands down. He's materially changed the fates of four teams after they've acquired him, propelling once-underachieving squads to the Cup Finals three times (capturing jewelry once). If they genetically engineered a defenseman from scratch, Pronger would be the result.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">As long as the Flyers keep trotting him out, they'll have a shot at taking the whole thing. The supporting players are definitely important, no question; but Pronger is the keystone as far as I see it. Bobrovsky also seems to be OK. If the goaltending comes through, they'll be the favorite to take the East again. </span></div>Matty Monkeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886209051694436068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4416312295793546763.post-86393532628618824562010-11-04T22:38:00.004-04:002010-11-04T23:25:42.558-04:00...And there's no end in sight<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Six straight losses after another stinker in Ottawa tonight, and there's not much more to it than that. The team looks legitimately lethargic, and the only saving grace in this game was that they managed not to completely embarrass themselves by actually looking somewhat like an actual NHL hockey team. However, once they completed an abhorrent attempt at a five-minute major power play and allowed Sergei Gonchar to sneak into the back door for goal #1, it felt like it was over, and it was. More defensive lapses by the whole team, more bad goaltending (this time by Dwayne Roloson), more inability to bury any and all chances. Who can say when this stupor will finally end? I hope it's sometime this season.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Positives</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">My DVR has a fast-forward option, so I could spare myself a great deal of aggravation.</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></b></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Negatives</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>I hate Mike Mottau again.</b> This is probably the tenth time this season I've seen him make a pass directly to an opposing player in the danger area. How a guy could go from three games of near brilliance to ten games of ECHL-caliber defensive play is completely beyond me, but it's officially happened. His effectiveness on the PP has vanished into thin air, also.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>P.A. Parenteau was the Islanders' best all-around forward.</b> A true feat, even for this team.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>The Isles are now finding new ways to lose.</b> This time, it wasn't because they were slow, the main cause of the two straight shellackings at the hands of the Canadiens. This time, it wasn't because they weren't physical enough, the main cause of the two straight shellackings at the hands of the Flyers. This time, it wasn't because they were thoroughly outworked, the main cause of the shellacking in Raleigh. No, this time, it was because the Isles were simply watching the puck all night. What will they think of next?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>There is no semblance of confidence or energy coming from any player on the roster, possibly excepting Matt Martin.</b> The players look like they're skating in sand with a hopeless, defeatist attitude. It's highly alarming. I'm pretty sure we can no longer attribute this to Rick DiPietro being in net. This isn't the system, either; the skaters' style of play would lose them games if they were playing Lemaire Euthanasia. Is it the coach? They've played unrelentingly hard for Gordon up until now with far less talented rosters and far less hopeful situations. Is it the injuries? They seemed to deal with that fine against good teams in the first couple games of the year.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I don't know what the cause of this funk is, but it's making the Islanders pretty frustrating to watch. There's a feeling of resignation after the Isles can't convert in the first ten minutes and inevitably let up the first goal of the game to the other team, after which they seem to deflate like clockwork. Let's hope this trend discontinues before we all do insane things on IM and HF like call for the firing of the coach and GM less than 15 games into the year, declare the young core useless, and place blame on inconsequential players like Doug Weight and Trent Hunter. Wait, people have already started doing that?... I see.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>On the Senators</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">For the most part, a perennially unimpressive team since that one time they dominated the League and got stomped in the Cup Finals. I love Dan Alfredsson, a guy who, like Eric Staal, is my type of player. However, their other headliner (Spezza) plays only one zone. Their defensive rock is good, and they added Gonchar, but those guys aren't buttressed by very much. The goalie is very good but not elite, and the supporting cast won't really blow your doors off.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Can they scratch out a playoff spot again? Sure, I guess. Are they a Cup contender? Not really. When your team is languishing in limbo like this, it's time for a drastic change. I might auction Alfredsson, Spezza, and Phillips to the highest bidder at the deadline, then take my several first-round picks and rebuild from the ground up by notching a top-three overall pick in 2012. But then again, this is the team run by the same GM who flipped a first rounder for Chris Campoli and Mike Comrie, then flipped another one for David Rundblad.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Another crack at Philly for the gang on Saturday. Cross your fingers.</span></div>Matty Monkeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886209051694436068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4416312295793546763.post-16683205716475592562010-11-03T22:54:00.002-04:002010-11-03T23:18:27.556-04:00Looks like I chose just the right time to come back<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">There aren't really any words to describe what kind of effort the Isles put together in Carolina last night. Their fifth straight loss now drops them to twelfth in the conference, and their once-strong +8 goal differential now sits at -11, third worst in the NHL. Tough to find any positives, so I'm frankly not including any. Some negatives are self-explanatory but nevertheless necessary to state for the record.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Negatives</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>If Rick DiPietro keeps handling the puck like this, we're all in a lot of trouble.</b> The Isles clearly had the better of play in the first ten minutes, then DiPietro's goof with the puck-- again-- completely deflated the team. Once Corvo slapped that laser by DP, who was sorely out of position after his puckhandling gaffe, the game was over. Sergei Samsonov put the nail in the coffin with his beautiful stick work on the Hurricanes' second goal.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I understand that Ricky D's advantage is his above-average ability to play the puck, but his hesitation right now is inexcusable. There's no other way to put it. Rick has now let up three goals (by my count) simply due to giving the puck away when he wasn't even pressured. That is ludicrous. It's tangibly hurting the team.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>The Isles still can't knock anyone out of the crease.</b> Sound familiar? Bruno Gervais getting minutes again doesn't help this cause at all, but nevertheless, it's still a huge issue. It was an issue even when the team was semi-healthy at the start of the year. Wanna know why Eric Staal runs roughshod over the boys in blue and orange every time he plays them? The guy is a bull on his skates and owns his section of the ice with impunity. He's one of the top five all-around players in the NHL, and just in case you forgot, he had it all on display tonight.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Nobody's playing the body anymore.</b> Nevermind that the team's body language in general is just horrific, the style of play has taken a serious turn for the worse. In the beginning of the season, the team was spirited for at least 45 minutes of every game, making sure they threw bodies into oncoming skaters and establishing at least some sort of physical presence. Now, the only guy doing that is Matt Martin, who really does not belong in the NHL to begin with at this stage of his career.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>I really hope this isn't some sort of revolt against the coach.</b> I'm a fan of Scott Gordon generally, but I really hope my worst fears aren't confirmed. The way the team isn't trying on D, isn't staying true to the system, and isn't playing with any sort of punch for this kind of extended stretch indicates that they're either (a) demoralized due to getting shut down four times in a row by two really good teams and the general bad luck with health, or (b) sick of Flash.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Matt Martin and Bruno Gervais need to be exchanged for Jesse Joensuu/Rhett Rakhshani and Dylan Reese. </b>Joensuu and Rakhshani at least have the hockey sense to play the bottom six effectively. I love what Matt Martin brings to the table, but that kid's game needs a lot of work. From what I've seen of him, first NHL goal aside, his game needs a ton of work before he comes back. Meanwhile, Joensuu is polished and might actually be a better skater than Martin at this point. Alternatively, Rakhshani is great on the PK and can at least be some sort of offensive threat on the fourth line while Martin gets much-needed minutes in the AHL. Reese is flat-out better than Bruno, and I think it's high time the Isles cut the cord.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>On the Canes</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Eric Staal is maybe my favorite non-Islander player in the NHL. Because he plays in Carolina, he gets constantly overlooked, but as I mentioned above, I have no problem calling him one of the top five all-around players in the NHL. The Isles seem to consistently have tons of trouble with Staal and the Canes; during the Tavheduch season, the team took their worst loss in franchise history in this very building. Cam Ward always performs well against the Isles, and that trend continued once again this evening.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Carolina's a write-off every season, and I was guilty of this sentiment as well, but management there puts together a pretty good roster on a budget all the time. Staal is the headliner, Gleason is the rock, and Ward is the stalwart goaltender, and the pieces around them seem to come together nicely. This year, it's the likes of Samsonov and impressive rookie Jeff Skinner holding it down. I'm on record at IslanderMania as a Skinner supporter, and I maintain that after watching this game. He's in the mold of John Tavares, a guy who may not have the greatest athletic ability but really knows his way around the ice.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The Isles head to Ottawa next, and I don't know if you can find anyone who isn't dreading this game.</span></div>Matty Monkeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886209051694436068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4416312295793546763.post-56317656061444357592010-10-30T14:19:00.003-04:002010-10-30T14:21:05.940-04:00On Vacation<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Figured I'd make this post to let you guys know I'm not in town for the weekend. No TV, which means no Center Ice, which means I didn't see the game last night and won't get around to the game tonight. Hit up <a href="http://www.lighthousehockey.com/">Lighthouse Hockey</a> or <a href="http://www.islanderspointblank.com/">Islanders Point Blank</a> for game recaps until then.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I have a bunch of college hockey DVRed that I can get around to sometime next week, so be on the lookout. See you when I'm back!</span></div>Matty Monkeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886209051694436068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4416312295793546763.post-36961846186736405872010-10-28T00:22:00.002-04:002010-10-28T01:09:55.542-04:00Struggling again at the Bell Centre<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The Islanders can't seem to catch a break in Montréal, where they managed to make a game of it tonight despite being thoroughly outplayed most of the game. The power play continued to click magically, but even-strength was a mess once again. Is it a team regressing to the mean, or a team weary from so much travel in a grueling road schedule? Either way, it didn't help that the Isles ran into the best defensive team in hockey, and it plays in front of a goaltender who can do no wrong this season.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Positives</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>The power play has mostly worked to perfection.</b> James Wisniewski was a worthwhile addition on this front, adequately replacing Mark Streit's production and supplying a badly needed right-handed shot. He's been dead-accurate with it recently. Puck possession has been really good, and all five guys on the first unit have great vision (even P.A. Parenteau). It's been keeping the Isles in games, but it's anybody's guess as to how long the power play output continues at this blistering rate.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>The set plays and chemistry look much better.</b> The deflections and tap-in attempts are very well synchronized, one of which led to a goal tonight (Tavares's deflection). The Isles have undoubtedly been working on this throughout the last couple months. This is a natural byproduct of the continuity in personnel, an element of the team for which Garth Snow deserves a lot of credit. The clear evidence that these guys know each other well and enjoy playing on this team is a real credit to what the GM is putting together.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Negatives</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>The Islanders were dominated at even strength again. </b>Not nearly as mortal a sin as the abysmal performance in Florida, mainly because Montréal is an excellent team that was playing absolutely airtight defense until halfway through the third period. Carey Price was also bulletproof from the opening bell on every variety of shot except a slapper from the point. Nevertheless, it's a concern that the Isles still spent tons of time in their own zone and looked completely outmatched by Montréal in every area. This time, the shot differential accurately reflected which team had the better of play.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>The team still can't clear the crease or the zone.</b> This is the one factor that will keep the Isles from stringing together several wins in a row. Even if Mark Streit were healthy, this would still be a huge concern. We knew Mark Eaton wouldn't be that guy. We were hoping James Wisniewski was that guy, but he's not. Milan Jurcina needs to get a little more physical if he wants to fill this role. No matter who it is, someone on the Isles' blue line has to step up and shoulder these responsibilities; preferably, it'd be at least one guy on each pairing. Mottau and Jurcina are certainly capable.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Dougie Weight needs to keep the puck in the zone on the PP.</b> This time, the mistake was fatal. Weight had a problem with this against the Rangers, when Gaborik got past him. Weight hooked Gaborik from behind and the Ranger sniper missed the penalty shot. Here, the result was a two-on-one misplayed by Wisniewski that resulted in a Travis Moen shorthanded goal. This type of gaffe has to be inexcusable going forward.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>The team is giving up too many odd-man rushes.</b> Montréal had several throughout this game, most of which were the results of forced errors. Some of that is the Canadiens' doing, but some of it is due to mental mistakes from the Islanders. Dwayne Roloson had to be very good to keep the score manageable at the end of the contest. If not for his heroics, the score could've been 7-3.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>The Isles can't handle speedy teams.</b> When the other guys are faster, the Isles have no real solution. That's something that Scott Gordon will have to work out strategically, considering they're not getting another personnel overhaul anytime soon. Missing Grabner really hurt, and guys like P.A. Parenteau and Matt Martin were really exposed.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>On the Habs</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I have little doubt that this is the best defensive team in all of hockey, especially given Carey Price's performance. He was spectacular tonight. The Isles couldn't break the Canadiens' defensive formation if their very season depended on it. They're in first place in that division for a very good reason: they execute their system to total perfection. The speedy forwards, particularly Cammalleri and Plekanec, gave the Isles fits all evening.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Their defense is excellent 1-6; after dropping Marc-Andre Bergeron, they imported sensational rookie P.K. Subban. Subban is such an incredible player at such a young age that it's simply astounding-- he could be the best defenseman in all of hockey by the time he hits his prime, even with Doughty, Hedman, and Larsson in the League. Hal Gill and Josh Gorges are underrated but nevertheless extremely effective. Finally, note that Montréal played suffocating D without Andrei Markov in the lineup (he's scheduled to return Friday, when these two teams play in the Coliseum).</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I'll have a brief post tomorrow on Nino Niederreiter and Matt Martin before heading northwest for the weekend.</span></div>Matty Monkeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886209051694436068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4416312295793546763.post-61040810870066565152010-10-23T23:51:00.003-04:002010-10-24T00:09:38.729-04:00Taking their talents to South Beach... and forgetting to use them<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I hope tonight isn't a reflection of the Isles possibly getting complacent with their modicum of success to begin the season. As encouraging as their start has been, this game might've been equally discouraging. Keep in mind for a second that Florida is the consensus pick to finish last in the League, and they have by far the least talent of any team in the NHL. No disrespect to David Booth, who is good, but he's their headliner. He's complementary top six on any other team. Tonight, though, he and the Panthers outworked the Islanders so badly that it was legitimately appalling. The game ended 4-3 because John Tavares has unbelievable hockey sense.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Positives</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">John Tavares had a hat trick.</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Negatives</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>The Islanders were badly, </b><i style="font-weight: bold; ">badly</i><b> outworked at even strength.</b> Two heads-up power play goals from Tavares disguised what was a horrible effort 5-on-5. The Panthers spent long stretches in the Isles' zone, and their trap was excellently game-planned to totally frustrate the visiting team. They screened with impunity, absolutely owned the crease area, and peppered DiPietro with shots at every turn.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>I hope you're sitting down for this bombshell: The Islanders were abjectly unable to clear the zone all night.</b> Twice, this led to goals. The Panthers' cycling looked like Philly's during last year's playoffs. The likes of Steve Reinprecht, Rostislav Olesz, and Stephen Weiss-- all respectable players, sure, but come on-- cranked up the pressure in the Isles' zone and never let up on the gas pedal. DiPietro obviously didn't have a wonderful night, but regardless of his bad pass and squeaker on a deflection that should've been called a high-stick, he made some pretty damn good saves. The Islanders let up 30 shots to the worst offensive team in hockey, and they paid for it, plain and simple.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Somebody needs to clear the crease when the opposing team decides to screen.</b> Nobody stepped up to the plate tonight. Granted, I'm not a coach, but why Jack Hillen is on the PK while Mike Mottau plays the PP is completely beyond me. Hillen was absolutely dominated in the crease all night-- to be expected considering his size-- and Mottau struggled to run PP2 (overshadowed by the success of PP1). Mottau, the vet with the mean streak, makes a lot more sense in the role of punishing Reinprecht when he tries to get cute in front of Ricky D; the shifty, creative Hillen makes a lot more sense in the quarterback slot on the second unit. Or maybe I'm delusional.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Rick DiPietro has to lay back with the puck.</b> His turnover led to the first goal of the night, which made the difference. A total brain fart. He had Wisniewski unmolested right next to him, and he instead chose to try to clear it himself. A totally boneheaded decision, and I'm sure he knows it. The Rick needs to understand that he doesn't have to be a hero anymore. He's not trying to singlehandedly generate offense for the likes of Ruslan Fedotenko and Josef Vasicek; the team in front of him is more than capable of handling things by itself. Just how DP settled in with his technique and awareness, so too will he settle in with this puck decisions. Frustrating as tonight was, it's worth the wait long-term.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>On the Panthers</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Give the Panthers a ton of props for game-planning correctly. Tomas Vokoun came up huge tonight as well in spite of being conquered by Tavares three times. His play in the last 60 seconds was phenomenal. The Panther forwards were money, and with the support of Weaver and Wideman, they were able to generate enough offense to topple the Isles. That's a team pretty devoid of any talent whatsoever outside Booth and Weiss; DeBoer is just trying to do whatever he can to score some goals while hoping Vokoun steals a few.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I'm a little leery of Tallon's 2010 draft; I think he could've done a lot more with the picks he had. I'm not very high on Gudbranson, and though I do like Bjugstad, I'm unsure of how the rest of the picks will turn out. Florida will be able to leverage Vokoun for a king's ransom come the deadline, considering they have both Jakob Markstrom and Marc Cheverie primed to take over. That should get them a headstart with regard to talent importation and securing the #1 pick in the upcoming draft, which will end up being Adam Larsson unless either Sean Couturier or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins can cure testicular cancer, genital herpes, and the common cold.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The Isles needed this one going into the home-and-home with Montréal. They'll very certainly welcome the return of Josh Bailey when that one comes around.</span></div>Matty Monkeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886209051694436068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4416312295793546763.post-23021923058827563022010-10-22T16:31:00.005-04:002010-10-22T17:43:49.588-04:00Prospect Game Review: Massachusetts at Minnesota<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Slow day in DC today, so I fired up the DVR and knocked this one out. I might get to another one before the day's over. The Golden Gophers barely scraped out a victory over UMass, 5-4, at home. The Isles' Aaron Ness figured prominently into this one, and I also got a chance to catch Michael Marcou again. Minnesota also sports a roster of several NHL draft picks. It was my first time seeing them since the end of last season.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Isles Prospects (2 players)</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Aaron Ness (2nd round, 2008): </b>Let me use this forum to say that Ness made the wrong decision (hockey-wise) in returning to Minnesota for his junior year. <a href="http://islesprospects.blogspot.com/2010/09/ranking-prospects-part-iii.html">I ranked Ness #23</a> in the organization, partly because he hasn't done much at Minnesota to develop. He has made some substantial strides, but nothing like his college counterparts Jason Gregoire and Shane Sims. He has a world of talent, with several superior attributes: top-notch, wonderfully fluid skating; excellent decision-making in both ends; the ability to make a tape-to-tape pass; very intelligent stick work; and a good knowledge of positioning. He plays in all situations for Minnesota because he's their best defenseman by a pretty long margin-- he's on PP1, PK1, and the first pairing even-strength.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Though he's getting his minutes, Ness hasn't progressed very much because he needs to be challenged. Don't be fooled by the stats-- fire up Fox College Sports and watch him play a couple games. It doesn't look like he belongs anymore. Here's an example: Ness jumps deep into the play (as he usually does) to create a scoring chance, which ends with his teammate shooting the puck wide of the net. Normally speaking, in the pro game, Ness would be screwed; this is a situation analogous to what led to Sean Bergenheim's goal-scoring breakaway in Tampa last night. Not at the college level, though-- Ness is fast enough to skate right back into position, even as the opponent's forwards begin the rush. A two-on-one for UMass turns into a two-on-two, and Ness sticks away the cross-ice pass into the corner. Crisis averted. That play is subtle, but it signifies total domination regardless. That's just a microcosm of what he can do at this level now.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Ness has been ready for the pros since his freshman season. Garth Snow knows this, too; he's tried to sign Ness the past two off-seasons to no avail. I don't blame Ness for thinking that there's unfinished business in Gopher Land, considering they've had a ton of talent but Don Lucia's foibles behind the bench have probably been the primary reason why they haven't played in the Frozen Four. That's what drew Rhett Rakhshani back for one more year, also. Thing is, I'm not sure how badly Ness will hurt his development by hanging out in college far longer than he needs to.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Why is that? Because Ness needs to undertake a pro training program to get stronger. He gets knocked off the puck without much effort in the college ranks, and that's a problem. He can make up for it through pure skill here, but in the pros, it won't fly. When I met him at prospect camp, I'd peg him at about 165 pounds. He needs to pack on 25-35 over the next 2-3 years to hack it in the NHL. Time will tell. His bulk is the last impediment to what could be a very fruitful NHL career.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Michael Marcou (Prospect camp invite, 2009-2010): </b>A local kid from Kings Park, Mike was invited to prospect camp this year, where I met him. His brother James, now with the San Jose Sharks' AHL team, was a standout at UMass and an Isles prospect camp regular. Jimmy earned a pro contract through stringing together a couple great seasons in Amherst, including an All-American nod. While he had an uninspiring start to his college career, Mike has improved to the point where I think he'll merit a pro deal also.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Mike is in his junior season, and he looks a lot better than he did as a scrawny freshman. He's only 5'11" but has probably put on some weight because he looks heavier than 158 nowadays. He plays a strong two-way game, and he notched a goal and an assist against a way more talented Minnesota squad. He gets primo minutes and wears the A for the Minutemen, who rely on him in every situation. He did really well on both the PP and PK, showing great positioning and stickhandling. His awareness is exceptional; he intercepted several passes, one of which led to a slapshot goal. He assisted on the goal with his own net empty to bring UMass to within one, and he triple-shifted to generate several scoring chances for the game-tying tally. Unfortunately for UMass, it wasn't to be.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Nevertheless, I walked away very, very impressed with this kid. Look for him to come back to Isles prospect camp in the summer, where I think he's gonna get a second look. Pro contract? Way too tough to say, especially if he's still less than 180 pounds, which simply won't cut it. But he's got the solid two-way game to make it in the AHL if he bulks up. He's one to keep an eye on.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Other Players</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Cade Fairchild (4th round, 2007, St. Louis): </b>Fairchild's another typical St. Louis draft pick as far as defensemen go, very strong in the offensive zone and simply adequate in his own. He follows in the footsteps of Pietrangelo, Rundblad, Cundari, Warsofsky, and others of that ilk. He's a senior now, and I see him getting signed once the smoke clears. He runs a PP particularly well.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Zach Budish (2nd round, 2009, Nashville): </b>Our very own Anders Lee's teammate from Edina High School. One of my favorite players from the '09 Draft before it even happened, and he's done nothing to change that impression. He's a champ in front of the net, helping out on two Minnesota goals by eating up the crease area. He's a conscientious backchecker and makes it a point to hit people. He's a bit of a slow skater, but I think he'll be just fine once he hits the pros.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Jay Barriball (7th round, 2006, San Jose): </b>Scored a natural hat trick in this game that was mostly created through the work of his teammates. Nice finisher, though. He's captain of the team, playing his fifth season because he got hurt last year. Probably in line for an ELC.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Nick Bjugstad (1st round, 2010, Florida): </b>Good player. Noticeably large and fast. Very creative offensively. Only a freshman, so he's got a lot more in store for him. Let's hope his development doesn't go along the same trajectory as, say, that of Jordan Schroeder. Remarkably similar to fellow Minnesota first-rounder Brock Nelson (Isles' property).</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Jacob Cepis (Undrafted senior):</b> Nobody has his rights, probably because he's very undersized. Good spark plug, though. He might not ever make it because he's only 5'7", but after two USHL seasons, two years at Bowling Green, and another year at Minnesota, he enters his senior year a smart and accomplished player who makes sure he distinguishes himself every time out there. Might get a deal somewhere if he has another good season.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>Matty Monkeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886209051694436068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4416312295793546763.post-30824260105451113792010-10-22T02:10:00.003-04:002010-10-22T02:40:20.192-04:00Prospect Game Review: Manitoba at North Dakota<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Any of you who know my posts from Islander Mania should already be familiar with my game reviews, which I've been writing up for a couple years now. This will be the one that kicks off the reviews for the blog, which will see a lot of these over its lifetime. Tonight, it's a contest that involves not one, but two Isles prospects: Jason Gregoire and Brock Nelson, both of North Dakota. The two players are at different points in their college careers; Nelson's a freshman trying to find his niche, whereas Gregoire is a returning junior who led the team in scoring last season and figures to be the leader of the team.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">North Dakota took this one 5-2, an easy win for them in their own building as they tune up for a difficult conference schedule. Manitoba found themselves outclassed, mainly because North Dakota had the superior talent on the ice.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Isles Prospects (2 players)</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Jason Gregoire (3rd round, 2007): </b>I went so long without seeing him play that I forgot how damn good he actually is. <a href="http://islesprospects.blogspot.com/2010/09/ranking-prospects-part-ii.html">My ranking of #15</a> was simply far too low for him, even in a system with this kind of depth; by the end of this season, he could crack the top five. Gregoire factored into the first three Sioux goals, scoring the second on a beautiful setup from Derek Forbort (more on him later). He had two assists as well, and his domination was not limited to statistics. He was tenacious on the forecheck, great on the PK, and making the smart play every time he had the opportunity. With and without the puck, he had a tremendous game. He was awesome last season, and he's only getting better. He was named Player of the Game by the Sioux's broadcasting network afterward, and for good reason.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">As for Gregoire's future, I originally had him pegged as third line type. I think I underestimated him by a pretty long margin. Forward-looking as this may be, I think Gregoire can become the perfect complement to a guy like Tavares: he's defensively responsible, his improved skating makes him a pretty speedy player, and he has goal-scorer's hands. He's always in the right place at the right time, and he's willing to both (a) go to the dirty areas and (b) take the hit to get a quality shot on net. Keep an eye on him moving forward-- he's the real thing. He's been a cinch for an ELC since his freshman year, but the only question now is when.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Brock Nelson (1st round, 2010): </b>This is my first full-game viewing experience of Brocko, the Isles' second first-round pick this past draft <a href="http://islesprospects.blogspot.com/2010/09/ranking-prospects-part-ii.html">who I ranked #23 overall in the organization</a>. I got a glimpse of his repertoire at prospect camp in July, and we had a pretty interesting conversation about his upcoming start at UND. Brock had a few good moments this game, but he's a freshman getting 4th line minutes, so there's not much to judge on right now. He had an assist in this one, a secondary helper on a power-play goal. He's already great on the forecheck, a product of his really good skating for his size. He's noticeably larger than everyone else on the ice, even Forbort. Considering he gets minimal time on special teams, it was tough to get a feel for his ability to do anything other than forecheck and backcheck. I'll have an eye on his development as the season moves forward.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Other Players</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Brad Malone (4th round, 2007, Colorado): </b>He's improved slowly but steadily for all three years I've seen him play at UND. He's a senior now, and he'll probably get signed by Colorado. He's Ryan Malone's cousin and plays with a pretty similar style. He had a very good-looking goal on a beautiful feed from Matt Frattin (more on him later).</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Derek Forbort (1st round, 2010, Los Angeles): </b>A total beast. Forbort was my second-favorite defenseman from this past draft behind the incomparable Cam Fowler, and he confirmed why this evening. He was all over the place, factoring into three UND goals while dominating in his own end against Manitoba. He has incredible skating skills for his size, and his puckhandling and vision are off the charts. Keep in mind that he's only a freshman, and he'll be playing on the same blue line with Drew Doughty within two years. Scary thought.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Ben Blood (4th round, 2007, Ottawa): </b>OK player, but I'm not sure if he's NHL material. Contributes in all situations as far as I saw, but not particularly noticeable. Ottawa may or may not sign him to an ELC depending on their organizational depth. This is my third year viewing Blood, who's now a senior, and he's only made a little bit of progression since the first time I saw him. It's possible that he could make the jump to the AHL successfully, but that'll be for the Senators to judge.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Matt Frattin (4th round, 2007, Toronto): </b>I have to admit that Toronto has done a good job in the later rounds recently. Jerry D'Amigo was a money pickup for them in the sixth round, and this kid Frattin looks like a find as well. He plays the point on PP1 for UND, where he thrives, and he also does really well as a playmaking winger in other situations. He's very speedy, and he's always a threat to create something on offense when he enters the zone. He's come a long way since his sophomore year, and I think Toronto will be happy to add him to the system after the year is up.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>Matty Monkeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886209051694436068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4416312295793546763.post-14908519239374809842010-10-22T00:06:00.003-04:002010-10-22T00:47:57.456-04:00The Return of Ricky D<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Tonight's game in Tampa was a heart-pounding affair with a bizarre ending as the Isles notched a victory in OT after a ten-minute review that came almost two minutes after the play in question occurred. Rick DiPietro and the Isles' defenders came up huge against a star-studded group of Lightning forwards that could comprise the most dynamic top six in the entire NHL. The whole team gutted out another quality performance on the road against a quality team, walking away from this one with two points. Though the Isles are now tied with the Fighting Sidney Crosbies for first place in the Eastern Conference, they have a game in hand.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Positives</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Rick DiPietro is back, baby</b>. DP looks a lot like he did before he got hurt, needing only a couple performances before regaining something resembling his old form. He made several really good-looking stops when the Isles were getting outclassed at even strength, especially in the third period. Particularly good was his stop on Marty St. Louis when he had to go East-to-West to get in the correct position.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>The PK came up enormous</b>. Constantly aggressive with tons of movement, and Tampa had a great deal of trouble working around it. The biggest moment, obviously, was when the blue and orange killed off a five-on-three that lasted for an eternal 40 seconds and made it look easy. Mark Eaton has been the unsung hero here, proving that the Isles needed to bring him in simply for his ability to clear the zone in these situations. That goes for Milan Jurcina as well.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Nino Niederreiter sure does <i>look</i> like he belongs</b>. El Niño came up big again in subtle ways, always finding the right spot on the ice to make a contribution. On the Isles' first goal, he made the first shot on Dan Ellis before Michael Grabner swooped in to bury the rebound. However, even before that, Niederreiter was strong on the cycle and got himself open in the low slot. He may not be exceptionally noticeable, but give him time: he's already shown he can make it here, and sooner or later, he'll prove he can thrive at this level also.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Just in case you didn't believe, Matt Moulson is for real</b>. The guy knows his way around the front of the net, he works harder than 90% of the other players in the League, and his hands are very, very good. I advocated a long-term extension for him this summer, but it wasn't to be. He has four goals in seven games, and the likelihood is that this'll be his second 30-goal season. We can only hope he's willing to stay on for a reasonable price come season's end.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>The team refuses to fold in high-pressure situations</b>. Down two goals? No problem. Third period deficit? No problem. Killing a five-on-three? No problem. Four of your top eight players injured? No problem. Rolling three lines for two periods in the Air Canada Centre? No problem. Five defensemen for two periods against a Tampa offensive juggernaut? No problem. The team just keeps on rollin'. Gotta love the fight in this squad.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Negatives</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>James Wisniewski needs be more careful</b>. Couple gaffes from him tonight, two of which led to Bergenheim's breakaways. What's surprising about the Wiz through the five games he's played is that he doesn't seem like a traditional Garth defenseman. The Isles didn't miss him very much for the two games he was gone. He does add some good power play skills, but he's almost a liability at even strength.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>The Isles need to be more effective as a team at clearing the zone</b>. The problem came up once again this game: the team had a shot to clear, and the player with the puck on his stick was overanxious to start the rush. The funny thing about this phenomenon is that Gordon preaches to keep things simple, but I've seen nearly every member of the squad pass up a very good opportunity to send the puck out of the zone. Eventually, that'll come back to bite them as a team. In the third, the Isles spent way too much time in their own end for this reason.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>On the Bolts</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Good to see Sean Bergenheim, one of my favorite Islanders of recent memory, continue to do what he's known for doing, even if it's in another uniform. I'm obviously way more happy about this idea because the Isles ended up winning the game. He generated a couple breakaways and nearly missed the shot he ended up scoring on, but he causes so much havoc and frustration through his relentless puck pursuit that all his warts make him a worthwhile player if you can notch the right contract.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">As for the rest of that team, it's gonna be a serious contender for awhile. Victor Hedman is already exceptionally impressive for such a young kid. The Isles would've been very well off with him on the team also, though it's not like I'm complaining about Tavares. The addition of Gagné rounds out a ridiculous top six with arguably the most talent in the whole Show. Stamkos is such a beast at this age that it's astounding; the sky is truly the limit for him. Marty St. Louis looks like he'll never get old-- a <i>constant</i> threat every time he's out there. His goal tonight was insane. Tampa, lest we forget, also finished tonight at the top of its own division despite losing in OT.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Next up, the Isles enter the time machine to play the 2008-2009 version of themselves in Miami.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div>Matty Monkeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886209051694436068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4416312295793546763.post-8768534259439608942010-10-18T23:12:00.003-04:002010-10-22T00:47:33.133-04:00Coming up big in T-Dot<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The New York Islanders somehow found a way to scrape out a victory in the Air Canada Centre tonight, an encouraging sign considering the Maple Leafs entered this game as one of the two remaining undefeated NHL teams (the other, the Dallas Stars, also fell at the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning). The Toronto media, as usual, took their annual potshots at the Islanders franchise with all the self-assurance of your garden-variety Cialis user.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>The Positives</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Dwayne Roloson stole another one</b>. This much was obvious. He received some help from his defensemen, though, and not just when they made game-saving stops in the crease area. Radek Martinek had another excellent night against the other team's best player, this time marking Phil Kessel to near-perfection as the highly creative winger was left zero space to operate. Mark Eaton and Andy MacDonald were all over the passing and shooting lanes. But I can't take away from Rolo here-- the guy came to play. Other than one broken sequence on a power play that never should've happened late in the third, he was perfect.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Is Frans Nielsen the League's best defensive forward?</b> His body of work over the last two and a half seasons speaks for itself. I always thought this title belonged to Pavel Datsyuk, and no one else was close. The Russian's backchecking and stick work are out of this world. However, he doesn't function in a system where he's constantly recast as a defenseman every time someone pinches. Nielsen's play to prevent Phil Kessel from going to the net in the second period was something I'm not sure any other forward does in that situation. If the Islanders are fortunate enough to make the playoffs this season, Nielsen may get nominated for the Selke.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>John Tavares has greatness written all over him</b>. It's not just because he returned to his hometown that he played like a man possessed tonight. His play to seal the win against Colorado shouldn't be overlooked, either. His skating is worlds better, and he's stronger on the puck than last year. He made several high-level plays tonight to create offense out of whole cloth. His hockey sense continues to impress, and he made some good-looking defensive plays. The mark of greatness is continuing to improve out of the absence of complacency.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>The team is showing its mettle in crunch time</b>. The Young Islanders of the past two seasons would fold in the kind of pressure-cooker situations in which they found themselves the last four games. Instead, the New Isles managed five important points in four games. Blake Comeau's penalty was the difference between walking out of the Verizon Center without points and walking out <i>with </i>points, but to the Isles' credit, they continued to battle in the next couple games and fought for points against good teams. The NHL has been put on notice early: even when they're down-- as they've been all year without Streit or Okposo, and without Schremp, Tavares, and Bailey at times-- the Islanders are for real. They're not going away.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>The Negatives</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>James Wisniewski can't take that penalty late</b>. The cross-checking was entirely unnecessary. Obviously, that late, the only acceptable penalties are those that prevent sure goals. J-Dub almost prevented the victory with his blunder, which really took the wind out of the Isles' sails. They were visibly exhausted after rolling three lines in the last two periods because Bailey was incapacitated; you could see how demoralized they were after they knew they had to kill one last penalty. The boys in blue and orange almost did it, too, but a freak bounce to Kessel's stick made the difference. Luckily, the Islanders still pulled it out.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>The Isles have to do a better job of clearing the zone</b>. Unlike last year, it's no longer about aggressive pursuing the puck to gain control. Now, it's about making the simple play when the opportunity arises. On the game-tying goal, Jon Sim tried to rush the puck up ice instead of making the easy play and clearing the zone. It came back to bite the team. There were several other close calls in the Isles' zone when they had the puck firmly on their sticks and couldn't get it past the blue line. They're getting way better at this, but there's still room for improvement.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>On the Leafs</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I hate the Toronto media-- not mentioning any offenders-- just as much as anyone, but I have to admire what Brian Burke is doing here. Ever since his Anaheim days, I've understood that this guy knows exactly how to build a contending team. Sure, there's the Cup to his credit and the Olympic silver medal as GM of the Gringos in British Columbia. However, note also that Vancouver has made a string of playoff appearances with a roster whose foundation was brought in by Burkie. Nowadays, after adding Phil Kessel and Dion Phaneuf, the Harvard Law grad has Toronto going in the right direction.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Here's the thing: Kessel and Phaneuf are the only headliners on the Leafs. However, Burke has cobbled together the right depth to support these guys. They play an up-tempo style under a really good coach (Ron Wilson) that puts tons of pressure on the opposition, especially at home. I was confounded as to how that team could go undefeated on paper, but seeing them in action, it's quite obvious.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">One more thing: I'm not a huge fan of Tyler Seguin, so I don't think this Kessel trade will come back to bite them so much. Ultimately, that's a fair price for a guy who can create offense for both himself and others, not to mention the 40-goal potential. Kessel's a true game-breaker; ask yourself how many other wingers in the whole NHL you would take over him for both now and the future. The Bruins, in the meantime, essentially passed over this guy and thought they could replace him with Nathan Horton. Methinks that one's not gonna work out so great.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Kessel's brother Blake, by the way, <a href="http://islesprospects.blogspot.com/2010/09/ranking-prospects-part-ii.html">isn't so bad either</a>.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Bring on the Fighting Stamkoses.</span></div>Matty Monkeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886209051694436068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4416312295793546763.post-17135838215056553942010-10-16T21:34:00.004-04:002010-10-16T22:21:05.358-04:00Takin' 'em to Slovakia<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The Isles come away from the Coliseum with a win to show for all their hard work lately. Colorado's a great team this year, so it was good to see the boys take this one both because (a) they flat-out played better and (b) they were actually the more talented team, even with Streit and Okposo out. This is the type of game you were looking for them to put together to continue the encouragement that they could be a playoff team this year. Both teams were coming off back-to-back games, though the Isles had to travel while Colorado was already in the area capping off their tour of the tri-state hockey squads.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Milan Jurcina showed why he belongs</b>. I was a little worried after the first couple games, but eventually, Jurcina came through on several fronts-- culminating in his effort during this Colorado game. It's not just that he scored the two goals, though they were obviously huge tallies. He's put together three really good games in a row on the PK against very tough teams, ramping up his physical play to make even more of an impact. He's the best defenseman on the team at clearing the crease, and he showed it again tonight. The slapshot he unleashed to open the scoring was just a bonus. I was all about slotting Hillen over Jurcina in the beginning of the season, but as they say, that's why I'm blogging and Scott Gordon's coaching.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Frans Nielsen is without question one of the top five defensive forwards in the NHL</b>. Last night, he was instrumental in silencing Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Tonight, Matt Duchene, Chris Stewart, Paul Stastny, and Milan Hejduk had tons of trouble trying to solve him. He was all over the ice and constantly made his presence known despite not showing up on the score sheet. Snow's contract for him always looks better with every game Nielsen plays.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Good to see Dwayne Roloson's still got it</b>. His effort shouldn't be overlooked. One questionable bad-angle goal, but a host of other spectacular saves to give the Isles momentum. He matched Craig Anderson's excellent first period effort and outlasted him through the rest of the game. He even showed more of an affinity for playing the puck, an activity in which he normally refrains from participating altogether.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Josh Bailey is finding even more ways to get better</b>. Tonight, it was in the faceoff circle, where despite winning only three out of seven draws, he had two key victories in huge situations. One of them led directly to the first goal in a shorthanded situation. Bailey now has seven points in five games, and he's playing like a #1 center. Granted, Bailey doesn't really need to continue performing at this pace to make a huge contribution to the Isles' effort to make the postseason. However, if he does, then he'll establish himself as a bona fide top line center in the NHL. That'll be something interesting to watch throughout the season.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>No mental mistakes tonight</b>. Dougie Weight took two pretty smart penalties, but other than that, the Isles did a good job staying out of the box. No offensive-zone penalties, no bench minors, no boneheaded turnovers, no ill-advised passes. This is the type of game the Isles can play when they minimize the goofs.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>P.A. Parenteau <i>might</i> actually have <i>some </i>chance of winning me back over. Maybe</b>. He did a good job creating on Bailey's goal and Grabner's goal. He also didn't screw anything up tonight. It's <i>possible</i> he's getting his act together. We'll have to see if he's for real.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">One negative from this evening:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>The early third-period goal is a drag</b>. You never wanna give another team momentum like that. The Isles couldn't convert on a huge power play to start the stanza, then Stewart comes right back down and scores. I'm sure the team will put the clamps on the opponents next time they come out with a third-period advantage.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">On the Avs:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The Avs are similar to the Isles in that they're a young team reaping the benefits of all their kids coming together at once. Last year's magical season speaks to the idea that the draft is the right way to build. The thing about Colorado's roster is that while they are chock full of talented kids, they lack serious star power. Many Avs fans will argue that Duchene is that guy for them, and some will even go so far as to say he's gonna be better long-term than Tavares. I don't think that'll be the case at all, but they're entitled to their opinion.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I also like Stewart, Cumiskey, Yip (didn't play tonight), and Galiardi. The Avs also have some nice prospects in the pipeline, including but not limited to Kevin Shattenkirk and Steve Silas (who they absolutely stole this year). That being said, Stastny doesn't really qualify as a headliner. The Isles, in the meantime, look like they're putting together a top six full of headliners. That being said, it's still early, and either team can still end up anywhere. My feeling, though, is that the Isles will have the star power to pull through to the next level.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">On to Toronto, where the surprising Leafs await.</span></div>Matty Monkeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886209051694436068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4416312295793546763.post-46774310574715706742010-10-16T01:17:00.002-04:002010-10-16T01:45:56.063-04:00Sloppy is as sloppy does<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Give the Isles credit for walking away from the Consol Energy Center with a point tonight, because it certainly could've turned out quite differently if they didn't receive a friendly call from the refereeing staff on Kris Letang's shoulder to Blake Comeau's... shoulder. Granted, this is the same group of zebras that called a phantom hook on Milan Jurcina when he had the audacity to breathe in Sidney Crosby's direction, but by that point, the boys in blue and orange had already guaranteed themselves one point in the standings. There wasn't much about this game to like except for the notion that the Islanders could even exit the building with something to show for this type of effort against a premier NHL team in its own rink.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">But let's try to focus on the positive, shall we?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>The PK was finally on point</b>. The right personnel were being used, everybody looked aggressive, and the Pens were frustrated throughout the game's three periods before finally breaking through in overtime after what was frankly a bad call. The Isles generated two golden shorthanded chances, both of which they couldn't convert. While the breaks of the game can unfold like that, it was encouraging to watch guys like Bailey, Comeau, and Nielsen really create something in the face of adversity.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Ricky D had a spectacular game</b>. He gets screwed on two lucky bounces, then lets in a scorcher from Goligoski off a rebound created by the fact that an Isles defender (can't remember who right now) allowed a Pens attacker to screen DP with impunity. Other than that, he had several spectacular stops to keep the Isles in it. This was the DiPietro we know and love, the guy we remember stealing games for the team during a season in which they eventually made the playoffs. This is probably the most important takeaway of the night when you look at things in the long-term.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Josh Bailey and Blake Comeau are for real</b>. Their all-around contributions tonight cannot be exaggerated. There was no phase of the game in which they did not have a serious impact. Bailey in particular had several unbelievable offensive moments. Comeau continues to do his thing and prove to everyone that he's officially turned the corner.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Radek Martinek has successfully re-invented himself</b>. Not only is he positionally sound, but he's turning into more of an asshole while finding it in him to contribute offensively. I've constantly written that Martinek <i>always</i> had the skills to be one of the best all-around defensemen in hockey. Slowly, he's beginning to realize that for himself. Isles prospect Matt Donovan is similar: he doesn't even know his own strength, blissfully unaware of his own gifts because he's a nice guy. I hope he learns what Martinek has apparently learned: you need to get angry and you need to let that chip on your shoulder motivate yourself to achieve new heights.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">But of course, how could we forget the negatives:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>The horrible mental mistakes need to stop</b>. Before the agita takes even more years off my life. I believe the team has had at least one bench minor in every regular season game thus far. That is insane any way you slice it. Nino logging six PIMs in the first period is inexcusable, even if he's 15 years old. Offensive-zone penalties are total murder on your team, and the Isles have racked up too many thus far for my liking. Mike Mottau-- who has officially converted me, by the way-- can't be making blind passes to the center of the rink in his own zone. The guys can't keep thinking 8 steps ahead and whiffing on easy clears and tape-to-tape passes. Will they sort it out? I'm confident they will, because Scott Gordon is the real thing. But I hope it happens way sooner than later.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Once more, with feeling: Andy MacDonald needs to be removed from the power play</b>. I guess he'll be supplanted by Wisniewski upon James's return to the roster, but Andy Mac just wasn't made for this in any capacity. If Hillen's gonna play, you have to put him here. He ran one of college's most successful power plays for a very long time. This guy's completely capable of bringing that contribution to the NHL level.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>If there is a God, P.A. Parenteau has played his last game in an Islander uniform</b>. Not much more to say, really. It is what it is.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Protecting the front of the net is an area of concern</b>. Now that Sutton is gone, the Isles don't have a guy who will flatten opposing players if they try to hang out in front of DiPietro. This was a problem on the game-winner, and it'll continue to be a problem until Travis Hamonic suits up for the Isles full-time (at least a year away) unless Snowy gets on the phone and imports a bruiser in the interim. Obviously, no one's gonna be available this early in the year. Nevertheless, I'd start giving it some real thought.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>I cannot wait until the day the team learns to step on the opponent's throat</b>. Two straight games with golden opportunities, both of them blown. In Washington, the Isles had two solid one-on-one chances with the goalie: Grabner making Carlson look like a pylon, and Moulson breaking away alone. Both didn't go their way. Tonight, the Isles went on the power play with 2:16 to go, and they couldn't hammer one home. They'll learn it eventually, but great teams always seize those moments. It's too much to ask for the time being, but the youngsters must incorporate that element to their game somewhere down the road if the Cup will ever come back to the Island. I know, I'm delusional for talking like that.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Quick thoughts on the Pens:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; ">I understand Jordan Staal was out this game, but my goodness does that look like one shallow team. Crosby, Malkin, Staal, and a blue line that's looking awfully overhyped. Zbynek Michalek and Brooks Orpik (favorite non-Islander defenseman in hockey) being absent from this game had no impact whatsoever on the PP units, both of which looked dreadful (continuing a theme from last season). Ray Shero might end this season with serious egg on his face if he imported two defensemen to eat up the rest of their precious cap room and they didn't have the impact he anticipated.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; ">Right now, Shero probably doesn't look too good for failing to address the age-old problem in Pitt: Crosby has no winger. The Pens draft too low for a winger to have an immediate impact, and it's an awful lot to ask of your scouting staff to identify a mid-rounder who can ride shotgun to the Next One with spectacular results. Crosby is the greatest player in the world at the moment, but he can't carry the likes of Chris Kunitz and Eric Tangradi to the Promised Land. When the Pens won the Cup, Crosby's superhuman effort was good enough to elevate a guy like Billy Guerin. Now, he doesn't have a guy who comes close to even <i>that</i> caliber. Shero learned last season that your biggest deadline import on wing can't be Alexei Ponikarovsky.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; ">In the meantime, the Isles gear up for the Avalanche, who already head up the Northwest Division and don't figure to relinquish that lead for the rest of the year. On the tail end of slugfests with two bigshot teams from last year, the Isles will be paid a visit by another squad that saw playoff action in '09-'10. Can they come away with an impressive victory? We'll have to tune in on Saturday night to find out. </span></div>Matty Monkeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886209051694436068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4416312295793546763.post-31073213340534858982010-10-13T22:09:00.003-04:002010-10-13T22:47:31.166-04:00A surprising effort comes up short<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I had the pleasure of seeing this game live and in person at the Verizon Center. I was happy to see the Isles make it interesting, but ultimately, they couldn't capitalize on several golden opportunities. While Blake Comeau's penalty was the obvious difference-maker, give some serious credit to Michal Neuvirth. The kid was able to stonewall the Isles in his third NHL game with a (frankly speaking) terrible defensive corps in front of him.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I have some comments about the Isles before I end things with a paragraph or two on the Caps, who I follow by default down here in DC.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Dwayne Roloson kept the Isles in it</b>. Good to see that Rollie hasn't missed a beat. Several textbook saves from him, some of which DiPietro definitely wouldn't have made at this stage of his comeback. Roloson's a reliable option to have in case it hits the fan with DP, and I imagine Nathan Lawson can answer the call for ten or so games in an emergency situation. Many people might've questioned how Dwayne could hold up at 41, but he looks sharp as ever.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Radek Martinek is the Ovechkin kryptonite</b>. I mentioned this in a post over at Islander Mania before the game started, but I'm beginning to notice it at an increasing rate. Despite Ovechkin factoring into both goals tonight, Radek stymied him at several other points in the game. When Ovechkin scored, Eaton was defending him, and there was nothing more the big guy could've done-- Alex is just that good. When Backström scored, Martinek wasn't on the ice. You don't hold the Caps to two goals at home very easily, and Martinek was the biggest part of that tonight.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Nino Niederreiter is probably here to stay</b>. He had his first NHL goal this evening, and he nearly had another one off a great release from the high slot after a faceoff win. His instincts are top-notch, and he still has rhino strength on the puck at the NHL level. I think all of us underestimated his ability to succeed this quickly in the pros. He's gonna be an all-around contributor to this team for a long while.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Michael Grabner has a place here if he works hard</b>. The Isles haven't had a guy with that kind of speed since Palffy left the building. I liked his offensive creativity as well. If he can meld into the system, I like the idea of having him on the team. He gets my tentative approval for now.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The negatives:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Blake Comeau must learn that he can't take that kind of risk in that situation</b>. I understand he was just finishing a check, and it was a very ticky-tack call, but that's the kind of knowledge he will have to gain with experience as a go-to guy in the final five minutes. Comeau will probably never completely eliminate the brain farts from his overall repertoire, but he made great contributions in other areas tonight and peppered the net with some quality shots. He's officially turned the corner, but it's now time to work out the kinks; this is the second really bad penalty from him in a late-game situation.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>I don't understand why Andy MacDonald is on PP1, even with Wisniewski out</b>. MacDonald had another sound defensive game tonight, but I put his power play troubles on Scott Gordon. Jack Hillen is a power play quarterback by trade. He anchored an atrocious second unit to the tune of 20+ points last year. If he's gonna be in the lineup, he should be playing the point, especially with Wisniewski sitting out. I'd even argue that Hillen and Weight should be playing the points on PP1, then Jurcina and Mottau should be out there on PP2.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Trent Hunter doesn't appear to belong anymore</b>. It's a speed-oriented system that favors players with quick releases. Hunter, unfortunately, brings neither. He does have virtues: strength on the puck, high character, a good slapshot. The reality is, though, that it's time for him to move on. He's an NHL player, but he'd be better in some other system... Calgary would be good for him, or Jersey might even be the right stop at his price tag.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>I've seen enough of P.A. Parenteau</b>. The experiment was nice, but I believe it'll end as soon as John Tavares is re-inserted into the lineup. He's not quick enough with either his feet or his decision-making, he turns the puck over in every zone, he's easily overpowered, and he doesn't play much defense. The team-- get this-- has too much talent for him to stick around. Nice knowin' ya, buddy.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">On the Caps:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I still don't understand George McPhee's thinking. Three things were clear after the Capitals dropped their first round series to Montreal: (1) Bruce Boudreau needed to go; (2) the team as a whole needed to get physically tougher; and (3) the defense just wasn't gonna cut it as is. What does he do in response? Returns the same defense corps, puts his stamp of approval on Boudreau's failures with the NHL's most talented squad for multiple consecutive years by keeping him around, and imports DJ King in exchange for one of his most intriguing prospects.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">What did we see tonight? King made his debut, had zero on-ice impact, and clearly hasn't effected the top-down change that the team desperately needs if it wants to win the Cup. Boudreau promotes a system sorely lacking in fundamentals that allows Ovechkin and Backström to dance around with the puck and hopefully make something happen through sheer force of skill. The defense is barely able to handle a tenacious Islanders forecheck, leading the crowd to applaud almost every time the puck was skated out of the zone.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Let me ask a stupid question: does a team whose achilles heel is its defense look smart if it returns all of its top four and supports them with two fresh-faced rookies who can't play in their own zone? John Carlson looks lost in every area of the ice except the opponent's blue line. I didn't even know Karl Alzner played in the game until my buddy John told me after it was over. Mike Green had his usual abominable game in his own end. This Tyler Sloan character is not gonna be the elixir. Where was, say, Anton Volchenkov? Andy Sutton? Sergei Gonchar? They certainly had the cap room.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">If McPhee wants to take home the Cup, he should flip some of his farmhands and his first-round pick for the best defenseman available come the deadline. Because in spite of an explosive offense-- one that the League is slowly starting to figure out, by the way-- and an encouraging young goaltender, the Caps have no shot at any hardware if they continue along with these six guys on the blue line.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">For the Isles, it's on to Pittsburgh, where they can hopefully take advantage of a reeling team that can't seem to find any giddy-up in spite of really positive changes in the off-season.</span></div>Matty Monkeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886209051694436068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4416312295793546763.post-33133588918750774682010-10-11T16:13:00.004-04:002010-10-11T19:38:54.601-04:00So let's talk about how good Josh Bailey is.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In spite of the warts all over this game, you have to be satisfied with the pair of balls on this Isles team. Two rousing comebacks in the third, overcoming some serious mistake-filled hockey in the first couple periods. It could've been way better, but this is as satisfying a win as I could remember. Despite the result, there are probably more negative things to take away from this game than positive things, but as you all know, I like focusing on the upside first.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Josh Bailey has become an unbelievable player almost overnight</b>. The mitigating arguments: yes, this is one game; yes, the opponents are a little below par; yes, he's only 21; yes, he has not peaked. Fine. We've been watching his upward trajectory since he was an overmatched, fresh-faced teenager skating around on the third line for a last-place team. He made progress during that lost season, but it was subtle and slow. The next season saw him have a bit of a coming-out party in the middle of the year, stringing together multi-point games for awhile to give us a glimpse of what was to come. By the end of the year, he was noticeably affecting games, but sometimes missing the scoresheet.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">These first two games of this season were entirely different, though. It's not just that Bailey has four points so far. If anything, his all-zone contributions and play without the puck have been even better than some of the spectacular plays he's made to score those points. He's forechecking and backchecking with great tenacity, he's throwing hits and winning battles in the corners, and his stick work is better than ever. Top all that off with a great sense of what to do in front of the net, and you've got yourself a pretty good NHL player.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">For the record, this is all coming at the center position, where I didn't expect to see him again until two years from now. His faceoffs are still below average, but with the work this guy is putting in, I'm sure that'll eventually change. In the meantime, he's carried the team to three points almost by himself.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Is Blake Comeau <i>really</i> going to spell Kyle Okposo until December?</b> Other than a few minor miscues, Comeau did everything Okposo normally does today. His forechecking is really on point, plus he's making some great defensive plays. It seems like things have officially clicked for him; he knows exactly how to translate his skill set to high-level production.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Comeau is a great example of the type of patience we need to show when young guys clearly have something to offer but aren't quite putting it together. For every Sean Bergenheim, who can't get it together mentally in time to salvage his career, there will be a Blake Comeau. At one time, I was laughed at for calling Comeau a referendum on Todd Bertuzzi. Though Comeau will probably never see 70 points in a season, it's looking more and more like Comeau can mature into a top six all-around power forward. Keep your eyes on this kid, <a href="http://islesprospects.blogspot.com/2010/10/thoughts-on-isles-2010-2011-outlook.html">because as I mentioned before</a>, he's the most important forward until Okposo returns.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Andy MacDonald is officially the #1 defenseman until Mark Streit returns</b>. This guy just continues to be steady-as-she-goes in his own end, nullifying oncoming attackers in all sorts of situations. This is my official campaign to get this guy more minutes, considering I'm most comfortable when MacDonald and (begrudgingly) Mike Mottau are on the ice (more on him later). He's showing great stick work and body positioning, and he seems to have no problem taking on the opponent's best players.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>My hate for Mike Mottau wanes by the day</b>. A couple minor goofs from him, but other than that, he was sensational. As a last-minute pickup, he's been a godsend so far. Not only is he tough as nails, but he looks right at home in this system in all three zones. He's been sneaky-good on the power play, and he picked up two assists this afternoon.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>We're seeing a new and improved Radek Martinek</b>. <a href="http://islesprospects.blogspot.com/2010/10/game-review-islanders-at-flames-pre.html">My pre-season observations </a>told me that Radek was putting a different emphasis on being physical and being offensively-minded this year. So far, he's shown exactly that. He's put a couple good-looking wrist shots on goal, and he was even trying his best to bring the nasty today. When he was faced with a physical challenge, he'd normally back down; these past two games, he's snarled back at the antagonist and answered in kind. Very pleasant to see that this guy's finally playing with a chip on his shoulder. He doesn't look nearly as scared or tentative anymore.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">There were, of course, big negatives from this game.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>The sloppiness must cease!</b> The own-zone turnovers were horrific, and the neutral-zone turnovers were equally cringe-worthy. There are a lot of new players trying to learn the system, which probably accounts for some of this stuff, but a large portion of these gaffes have come unforced. James Wisniewski and P.A. Parenteau were the big culprits tonight. I'm giving them a couple more games to get it together, but the two of them have now put together two consecutive really bad games in the defensive and neutral zones. A lot of their screw-ups were just inexcusable.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">On a team level, a second bench minor in as many games proved extremely costly. Those types of mental mistakes can't continue happening. Last year, the Isles were among the most disciplined teams in the NHL. That needs to continue if they want to stay afloat until Okposo comes back into the fold.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Ricky D must continue adjusting</b>. He gave up two very soft goals today. I understand he's getting back in the groove when it comes to fighting through screens and moving laterally, but as I mentioned two days ago, he can't be weighing down the team while working out the kinks. He made some great, great saves, but the day when he's fully re-adjusted to the NHL game and playing close to how he used to can't come soon enough.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>I think El Niño can hold his own, but he needs to show more if he's gonna stay</b>. Niederreiter's been treading water so far and having some nice moments here and there, but we knew he'd be able to grind at this level already. The question is whether he can do something more. Otherwise, the Isles have a guy (Joensuu) who can do all these things in his place while Nino logs key development time in Portland and at the WJC.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In other news, I'm gonna try to get to some college games this week. I have Minnesota and North Dakota on DVR. Comcast sucks, so I missed UNH and Blake Kessel. On a final note, I'm sticking to what I said about Stepan: good player, but he's up too early. I think he'll definitely be a long-term second-line center, but expect the rest of the year for him to continue sort of like Bailey's first season on the Isles.</span></div>Matty Monkeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886209051694436068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4416312295793546763.post-29403325998526715132010-10-10T00:14:00.003-04:002010-10-10T00:40:08.473-04:00Josh Bailey is a Man's Man (and Other Observations)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In typical Islanders fashion, game one was an absolute heartbreaker, with the Isles clawing back from being down two goals in the third period only to lose in the shootout. Fun game to watch, though the mental mistakes were very ugly. Turnovers led to two goals, DiPietro leaked another, and Jurcina's failure to clear Morrow from the front of the net surrendered the third. On the positive side, the team was flying all night and overcame the early loss of John Tavares to a mild concussion. Couple key points to take from this game.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Josh Bailey is a man's man</b>. The kid had his best game as an Islander, registering two assists and the only positive rating (+1) on the whole team. He was a man possessed, possibly the best player on the ice for either side. When Tavares went down, he slid into the #1 center role seamlessly. That's something I didn't expect out of him for another two years, but he's well on his way to assuming the role without an issue. I've always felt he'd be capable of 70 point seasons down the road, and he showed why tonight.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>James Wisniewski is up to the task</b>. A couple pylon moments from him, but those were far overshadowed by the gorgeous slapshot goal and thunderous hit on Jamie Benn in retaliation for the Tavares cheap shot from Burish. Really good showing from this guy tonight. I have faith that he can spell Streit offensively.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Blake Comeau is ready to take the next step over a full year</b>. A crucial thing, <a href="http://islesprospects.blogspot.com/2010/10/thoughts-on-isles-2010-2011-outlook.html">as I have detailed previously</a>, since Comeau will be relied on for everything Okposo used to do at the wing position. He filled in pretty admirably tonight, chipping in a key goal and throwing his weight around with abandon. He also did very well on the penalty kill.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Andy MacDonald looks like he's for real</b>. Did pretty well for himself tonight, logging 23-and-a-half rock-solid minutes. Let's watch his progress over the next few games and see if he solidifies the notion that he'll be taking over for Streit on the defensive side of things.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>I don't hate Mike Mottau... as much</b>. When Mottau laid out Frans Nielsen two years ago, "seething hatred" was the best phrase I could use to describe my feelings towards him. Now that he's in an Isles uni, I guess I'll have to get used to seeing him out there every night. He did well in this game, logging a healthy amount of minutes in a system he's had about two weeks to learn.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">And now for the negative...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>P.A. Parenteau doesn't look like an NHL player</b>. He'll need to be way, way better than this if he wants to stick, especially on the power play. Ugly game from him tonight.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Mark Eaton needs to cut down on the pylon moments</b>. Pens fans were talking about how he wasn't very physical, and they weren't kidding. I hope he gets steadier as the season progresses, because he didn't look like a very good fit out there tonight.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Nino Niederreiter shouldn't be doing this over a full season</b>. I'd rather have Jesse Joensuu do what he's assigned to be doing right now. I've been saying that from jump street. Niederreiter's holding his own, but he frankly doesn't look like he belongs. Juniors is the best route for him.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Rick DiPietro needs to get back in the swing of things</b>. Had his ups and downs tonight. Two goals weren't his fault, two were. If he's gonna stay healthy and get into games, Ricky needs to sharpen up his lateral movement and his reflexes. I think the guy deserves 10 or so games to get his legs back under him before we all call for his head, but the Isles can't afford to deal with him shaking off the rust when they're going to be jockeying for position in this division quite early.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">One more thing, before we all freak out...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Derek Stepan still has a long way to go</b>. Rangers fans will undoubtedly proclaim the kid to be the next Guy Carbonneau or something, but it's an 82-game season, and he's still only 18. An auspicious start to his career for sure, but I don't see him being a goal scorer by trade. I wrote on IslanderMania quite awhile ago that I thought Stepan was a no-doubter for a top six role. That obviously hasn't changed. However, I also wrote that he doesn't have the hands to score 30 in the NHL. I still believe that, hat trick be damned. Stepan comes off to me more like a mini-Brad Richards. Good player for sure, but let's not get ourselves carried away over one performance.</span></div>Matty Monkeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886209051694436068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4416312295793546763.post-69721327745055954852010-10-06T19:40:00.003-04:002010-10-06T20:18:23.551-04:00Isles Do Right by Martin and de Haan<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The news that Calvin de Haan will be sent back to Oshawa for the season and that Matt Martin will start the year in Bridgeport shows that the Isles have the right idea when it comes to developing their young players. Though Nino Niederreiter's inclusion on the Opening Night roster is a little disconcerting, the Isles do have nine games to decide whether they'd like to send him down to Portland for the rest of the year.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">With Martin, my rationale for favoring his demotion is well-known to anyone who's been reading regularly. I have confidence that with enough development, Martin has an appreciable shot at becoming a complementary top six player. It's not just that Martin has the perseverance and eagerness to learn that allows him to constantly develop his all-around repertoire, because many players have that type of tireless determination. It's that Martin has the physical ability and intelligence to translate that to tangible results. Every time I've seen him over the past year and a half, he's always come farther, and that continued this pre-season. With his improved skating and his pretty slick passing chops, he's now shown more than just the smallest inkling that he can contribute enough offensively to line up with guys like Josh Bailey.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Martin didn't have to prove that much more than he had by the end of last season. In his very short NHL stint, he already displayed that he could win battles in the corners, assert his will physically, and set strong screens in front of the net. Now, he's added in the ability to skate like a real NHL player and pass with some impressive vision. Provided he can knock in about 15 garbage goals a year, that's enough to get him top six minutes. But why stop there when Martin might have more left in him before he maxes out? That's why he should get more top six time in the Bridge.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">As for de Haan, he's extremely talented, but the pre-season exposed both his dire need to adjust to pro game speed and his rust from the time off due to his shoulder injury. There was no reason to toss him into the fold when you already have a solid top four even without Streit (Wiz, Martinek, MacDonald, Eaton), plus two guys who could easily handle bottom six minutes (Mottau, Hillen) and three capable backups (Kohn, Gervais, and Reese). So it's not like you needed to unnecessarily rush de Haan for the sake of the success of the NHL team. He's best off playing a full, dominating season in the OHL with his buddy Tony DeHart, plus he can probably do very well at another WJC.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A nine-game audition for El Niño is a decent idea, but I wouldn't keep him around if he's not gonna merit more than 12 minutes a night. The last thing you wanna do is start molding him into a grinder; this is a top-five pick with some really good potential at a very young age. I trust Isles management to handle this situation the right way, regardless of whether the "right way" turns out to be a full year with the Islanders or a trip back to the Winterhawks. From what I saw, Niederreiter will need some time to make his mark, and the team can ill afford to drag him along while it desperately needs to tread water until its workhorse is healthy.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In sum, though, it's nice to see that the young guns will be developing outside the NHL team, as well they should. Having reliable vets like Sim fill in on the fourth line is always a better option.</span></div>Matty Monkeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886209051694436068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4416312295793546763.post-4196897943774621112010-10-04T18:16:00.005-04:002010-10-04T19:27:03.064-04:00Thoughts on the Isles' 2010-2011 Outlook<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Considering the season is on the verge of commencing, I thought this was the best time to share my opinion on how I regard the Isles' upcoming campaign. I understand there's a bit of a pall on Opening Night because Streit and Okposo will miss significant time due to injury, but as always, I remain pretty optimistic. I'll be bouncing between statements and questions in this post, followed by a bit of discussion.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Thought: Blake Comeau and James Wisniewski are going to make or break the Isles' season</b>. All other things being equal, I think these are gonna be the two key guys because the team will look to them to replace the production of its injured leaders. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Comeau in particular will be the most important player-- not because he's the best, but because it's his performance that will determine whether the Isles can hold the fort until Okposo comes back. I highly doubt Comeau can bring the constant effort, hockey smarts, and grit at quite Okposo's level for these three or so months until the Ox comes back into the fold. Rather, I think Comeau will need to continue his great defensive play against the other team's top line-- an assignment Kyle normally handles-- and he'll need to toss up 55-60 points, which would be a career year. Playing with John Tavares, who's will probably have a monster year (see below), it may be possible. We all have to cross our fingers and hope that this is the year Comeau figures it out. The tools are there.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">As for the Wiz, he's now thrust into the first pairing role he always wanted. His response to this new burden will determine how the defense holds up. The depth is much improved over last year, this much is true-- you can even go to war with Reese, Kohn, and Gervais as your backups in the AHL-- but Wiz will need to be a frontline guy if the Isles will succeed and fulfill expectations. Like Comeau, the talent is there, but he'll have to put it together to both keep the team afloat and justify whatever new mega-deal he seeks in the off-season.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Prediction: John Tavares, Andy MacDonald, and Josh Bailey will have banner years</b>. This is based on how they performed toward the end of last year, how they looked in the pre-season, and their new responsibilities coming into this year. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Tavares will carry the chemistry he had with Moulson and Comeau into Opening Night and throughout the season. You could already tell how much his skating has improved, and I think the year of NHL experience will be huge for him because of how hard he works and how well he learns. I don't think we'll be looking at a Stamkos-level breakout, but I do think 80 points is within reach in spite of how much other teams will zero in on him (especially with the Isles' roster being so depleted).</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">MacDonald will try to repeat his stellar 50-game run during his debut season. I, for one, believe he's up to the task. He's probably going to get paired with Wisniewski, an arrangement that I think will work well because of how their styles complement each other. While I don't foresee MacDonald doing much in the way of offensive production, I think he'll be up to snuff defending some of the looming threats in the Atlantic Division.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Bailey will spend the full year on the wing-- one of two or three before he is inevitably shifted back to center-- and I believe that will be a huge benefit to him because of the relaxed responsibilities. In the first month of the season, with Robbie Schremp out, Bailey will team with Frans Nielsen to make a nice all-around second-line tandem. Nielsen, who's a sneaky-good offensive player in his own right, will probably pair well with Bailey in all facets.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Question: How will the goalie arrangement work out this year?</b> Rick DiPietro looked pretty good against Calgary, and he supposedly followed that up with another good performance. How often do you play The Franchise, and how often do you play Rollie the Goalie? Valid question, considering Dwayne Roloson thrives on a huge workload. We saw his performance dip when the Isles interrupted his rhythm for the sake of getting Marty Biron out on the ice at certain points last year. Even when DP came back, Roloson was once again thrown off his game. You figure the healthier guy gets the bulk of the time, but if his production is affected by the stop-and-start nature of his schedule, that's gonna be an issue.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">DP's health is no longer a serious factor in the organization's future, considering Snowy has done a great job planning around his issues. Nathan Lawson waits in the wings as the 20-game backup in case Ricky goes down. Mikko Koskinen will probably be ready to play the part of Semyon Varlamov in your program by next season. Anders Nilsson and Cody Rosen are your lottery ticket insurance policies. So in reality, a healthy DP is just a bonus.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">But it's a huge bonus if he's 80% or better. We're talking about a guy who, the occasional gaffe notwithstanding, handles the puck better than anyone else in the sport at his position. He rises to the occasion when it matters most. He can steal one game in a proverbial playoff series against any opponent. Personally, I'd rather have him playing (so long as he's still effective) than not playing. So we can sort of lay back for the very first time and see how this all plays out without freaking out every time Goalie 2021 breaks a nail.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Prediction: Barring catastrophe, the Isles will not end up with a top five overall selection in the 2011 NHL Draft.</b> Even with the Streit and Okposo situations, plus the back spasms that will sideline Robbie Schremp for a month, I think the Isles will improve on their position last season. While they may not make the playoffs-- which is what I'd like out of them, ideally-- I just can't see them dipping down that low.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Too many substantial additions have been made to improve depth, which was the team's main problem last season (especially on defense). This season, the Isles are probably OK for the first nine defensemen (Streit included), and they can bring up Hamonic in a pinch later in the year. As far as the top six, the loss of both Okposo and Schremp hurts, but they'll both be back by New Year's Day.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">During the second half of the season, if the Isles are in striking range, I see Okposo's return being a huge boost for a potential run at a low playoff spot. If they're sort of languishing, I think Okposo will propel them above the dregs of the bottom five.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Question: Will Charles Wang have the stones to stick with Gordon and Snow in the face of what already looks to be an injury-riddled season?</b> Some rumblings are talking about Scott Gordon as a potential coach on the hot seat if the Isles don't show some improvement this year. If the roster stayed intact, I'd agree with that assessment. However, without Streit and Okposo, things will be slightly more difficult to say the least. Given the development of some of the young guys so far, I think Gordo deserves a pass unless this season really turns out to be a mess.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Snow's trade for Wisniewski, along with his Eaton signing, looks extra responsible after Streit's unfortunate injury. He's been doing a really good job in light of the fact that he's had his hands tied with regards to how much he's able to spend on the roster. I think it'd be a serious mistake to let him go, but the alarming lesson we've learned after a decade of Wang's ownership is that he's capable of nearly anything.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Here's to what will hopefully be an exciting Islanders season, even in spite of the challenges they face in the months ahead.</span></div>Matty Monkeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886209051694436068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4416312295793546763.post-32038147887218763492010-10-02T14:22:00.002-04:002010-10-02T14:55:46.031-04:00Game Review: Islanders at Flames (Pre-Season)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Just got done with the Isles-Flames pre-season matchup on DVR. The Isles ended up losing, 3-2, but I saw some encouraging things nonetheless. The Islanders fielded a split squad against most of the Flames' regulars; however, they still managed to look up to the task, and they would've won the game had they minimized bad mistakes. The power play looked OK as they were able to get some solid movement and some dangerous shots on goal. Kiprusoff was on point this game, so the Isles got robbed on a few chances. The substitute, Leland Irving, had some big stops as well, especially on Nino Niederreiter in the waning seconds with an empty net. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; ">The PK looked great, considering some of the Isles' best lower-level guys were on the roster. Rhett Rakhshani did particularly well in this area. As I mentioned before, other than a few brain farts, I'd consider it a good showing from the boys in blue and orange. Here's what I saw from some individual players:</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>John Tavares</b>: Noticeably better with the skating and strength on the puck. He's ready to have a monster sophomore season. He had a couple sequences that you wouldn't have seen from him in last year's campaign, and he's become even better than he used to be on the forecheck and in the corners. He's dangerous every time the puck is on his stick. It's a shame Okposo will be out until Christmas, because they probably would've done great together. In the meantime, though, I'm sure he'll find good chemistry with Moulson and Comeau.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Andrew MacDonald</b>: The Isles' best player this game. He's incredibly impressive. Not only is he playing his trademark smooth style in all three zones, but he's now mixed in a physical element highlighted by a nasty hip-check (something I'm pretty sure he added to his arsenal this year). Let me go out on a limb and say he's more than ready to replace Streit's <i>defensive</i> production while the headliner recovers from shoulder surgery. Offensively, he's still not gonna bring all that much, but I'm personally fine with that.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Radek Martinek</b>: Back, and if he keeps this up, better than ever. I know it sucks to get excited about this guy because he's so injury-prone, but seeing him today reminded me of how damn good this guy was before he went down. He seemed to be playing with more of an edge than normal, but more importantly, he was showing offensive aptitude that only came in very short flashes two years ago. He had a couple real good shots on goal and really pinched well to make plays out of whole cloth. If he stays healthy, I think he can have a career year. Keep your fingers crossed.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>James Wisniewski</b>: This guy had a good game as well. MacDonald and Wisniewski will make a for an adequate top pair while Streit recuperates. He plays a chippy game in his own end, and I thought he did really well offensively. Doesn't have quite the homing missile slapshot that Streit does, but it's really important that he brings it from the right side. This way, when Okposo returns, he won't have to play the point. That'll be refreshing.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Mark Eaton and Milan Jurcina</b>: The newcomers did OK. I liked their PK work. They came as advertised, which is important, because they'll need to be steady in the wake of Streit's absence.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Calvin de Haan</b>: Straight-up not ready. The Isles shouldn't even bother giving him his nine games; that's better saved for next season. He overcame the physical woes from last preseason, but he's still having trouble adjusting to NHL game speed. There's no question that he will need some semblance of AHL time before he hits the bigs unless he takes a serious leap forward over the course of this season. He got burned several times, most egregiously when he whiffed trying to hip-check Curtis Glencross (which later led to a Glencross score). He'll go back and dominate both the OHL and the WJC, which will be better for him than struggling in epic fashion at the NHL level.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>David Ullström</b>: Half-decent game, but he's having trouble with the speed adjustment also. The AHL will be the perfect place for him, where I think he'll do well this year. Could compete for a spot next year, but there's no rush with him. I think he'll eventually stick in the NHL.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Nino Niederreiter</b>: Did not distinguish himself until he nearly had the tying goal in the closing seconds of the game. In the other areas, he didn't contribute nearly as much as I had anticipated. I don't think there's any reason to put this guy in the NHL over Jesse Joensuu. Save the year on his ELC and let him go back to play his 18-year-old season in the WHL. I don't think an NHL season will be very productive for him. Furthermore, his acceleration still needs work.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Rick DiPietro</b>: Call me crazy, but I thought he looked great. He had a couple sparkling stops in a perfect first period. After that, he let up goal #1 on a deflection when nobody knocked Stefan Meyer out of the crease. Goal #2 was when Glencross made de Haan look like a turnstile and initiated a 3-on-1 that forced DiPietro to go low too early. Goal #3 was on a freak play when Ricky tried to clear but put the puck in the crease after it deflected off de Haan and Ales Kotalik. If he had a good D in front of him, I think he would've pitched a shutout. I hope he can perform like this for 20-25 games this year in relief of Rollie the Goalie.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Mikko Koskinen</b>: Only played one period, but I thought he was really impressive. A couple beautiful saves on the PK and some very impressive stops otherwise. He showed great mobility and athleticism to the point where I was convinced the hip injury is truly no longer an issue for him. His lateral movement was really on point this game. He might be able to man the pipes sooner than I originally thought.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Matt Martin</b>: Showed the improved skating he displayed previously in rookie camp, using it to his advantage to draw a penalty when he left a Calgary defender in the dust. It was called a minor for holding, but he might've had a penalty shot with a different ref. He also showed some nifty passing that reinforced my original theory that he can be a supporting top six player with the right development. Considering it appeared Konopka will do fine, I think Martin to Bridgeport is the Isles' best option for the beginning of the season.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; ">So wrapping up, while this game didn't mean much, I did see some things that got me pretty excited to see what the team has in store for the regular season. Stay tuned to see if this stuff carries over when the games count.</span></div>Matty Monkeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886209051694436068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4416312295793546763.post-38960376224570770492010-09-29T18:25:00.006-04:002010-09-29T19:25:40.708-04:00Ranking the Prospects, Part III<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">For Part I, <a href="http://islesprospects.blogspot.com/2010/09/complete-ranking-of-isles-prospects.html">click here</a>. For Part II, </span><a href="http://islesprospects.blogspot.com/2010/09/ranking-prospects-part-ii.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">click here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Tier Three: Longshots and Lottery Tickets</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 16px; "><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>18. Kirill Kabanov</b>, W, Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Drafted</b>: Third Round, 2010</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Last Season</b>: Moncton, QMJHL</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Viewing Experience</b>: Highlights, prospect camp</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>NHL ETA</b>: 2013-2014 season</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Ceiling</b>: One of the NHL's top wingers.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Floor</b>: One of the KHL's top wingers.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Comments</b>: An enigma of epic proportions, Kirill Kabanov is the type of prospect you simply can't get excited about until he solves his own issues. The talent is there, by all accounts. The Director of Scouting for an NHL team said he had the potential to be the evolutionary version of Ilya Kovalchuk. Respected scouting outlets had him ranked in the draft's overall top five this time last year, and proponents of Russian hockey had hyped him as 2010's sure-fire #1 overall since he was 15 years old. Then came the well-known troubles with Moncton (which appear to have been somewhat overblown, considering they happily took him back into the fold), the Russian junior team (which Kabanov insists are due to being blackballed), and the Islanders (which prompted them to cut him early instead of giving him a shot in the preseason). Having met him in person, it appeared to me like his problems are more out of naïveté than malice, but that doesn't make them any less irksome. If he matures and gets his act together, he's a steal. If not, he was a worthwhile risk who never panned out. Until we know the resolution, he's a roll of the dice we can't bank on. Thus, he's ranked outside the top fifteen.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; "><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>19. Anders Lee</b>, C/W, Notre Dame Fighting Irish (NCAA)</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Drafted</b>: Sixth Round, 2009</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Last Season</b>: Green Bay Gamblers, USHL</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Viewing Experience</b>: Highlights, prospect camp</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>NHL ETA</b>: 2014-2015 season</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Ceiling</b>: A formidable NHL power forward.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Floor</b>: Never sees the NHL.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Comments</b>: Lee had a banner year in Green Bay, where he racked up a League championship and every possible individual award except regular season MVP (which he arguably deserved also). Though he was a year older when he did it, Lee repeated the same four-trophy feat that the Isles' own Kyle Okposo did when he played with Des Moines of the USHL: league championship, playoff MVP, Rookie of the Year, scoring title. In spite of Lee's pedigree-- which is moreso out of fear that he would play Division I college football instead of college hockey-- that's nothing to scoff at. Based on what I've seen of him, I can tell you that he plays a mean, physical, gritty game with a great net front presence. He has pretty good skating and stickhandling skills to go with that, and his performance in the Clark Cup series speaks to how clutch he is. Our next move is simply to wait for him as he joins Riley Sheahan and others in trying to revitalize a sagging Notre Dame hockey program.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; "><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>20. Tony DeHart</b>, D, Oshawa Generals (OHL)</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Drafted</b>: Fifth Round, 2010</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Last Season</b>: Oshawa, OHL</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Viewing Experience</b>: Highlights, prospect camp</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>NHL ETA</b>: 2012-2013 season</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Ceiling</b>: Too early to tell.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Floor</b>: Too early to tell.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Comments</b>: I sort of put DeHart here on a wing and a prayer based on what I saw of him at rookie camp. He was drafted at 20 years old for a reason, considering he appears to bring a physical style to the table and supplements it with good offensive aptitude. He had to have paired well with Calvin de Haan at Oshawa this past year in order to merit a fifth round draft pick. In the blue/orange scrimmage, he showed a penchant for taking calculated risks and constantly trying to create something offensively. He has an imposing physical frame, even in street clothes. I'd consider him one to keep an eye on, considering he's already off to a steady start in the OHL this year.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; "><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>21. Anders Nilsson</b>, G, Luleå (SEL)</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Drafted</b>: Third Round, 2009</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Last Season</b>: Luleå, SEL; Team Sweden, WJC</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Viewing Experience</b>: 2 games</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>NHL ETA</b>: 2013-2014 season</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Ceiling</b>: Too early to tell.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Floor</b>: Too early to tell.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Comments</b>: Goaltenders are not my strong suit, and I've only seen Nilsson play two garbage games in the WJC, so I won't really begin to prognosticate about him concretely. I ranked him conservatively with an eye toward getting a look at him when he comes stateside; I went mainly off the strength of his debut season in the SEL after playing in their junior circuit for awhile. The one obvious thing about Nilsson is his hulking frame, second only to Koskinen in the Isles' system (and probably anyone else's as well). He's a little more filled out than Koskinen, and he's stayed healthier since being drafted. Ultimately, I'll need a better look at him to form some sort of educated opinion.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; "><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>22. Aaron Ness</b>, D, Minnesota Golden Gophers (NCAA)</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Drafted</b>: Second Round, 2008</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Last Season</b>: Minnesota, NCAA</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Viewing Experience</b>: 5-6 games</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>NHL ETA</b>: 2013-2014 season</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Ceiling</b>: A lesser Brian Rafalski, if he's the real deal.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Floor</b>: Never sees the NHL.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Comments</b>: Ness was probably the second most difficult to rank behind Donovan. The stats may not bear this out, but Ness is a serious talent. Literally the only thing holding him back is his size. He's an absolute wizard with the puck, a kid capable of dazzling passes and deceptive wrist shots. He's a great puck carrier as well, something which pairs with his all-world skating ability to create quite the spectacle when the disc is on his stick. He shows high-level hockey knowledge and really tries his best to use his body the right way. That being said, he's probably a shade below 5'10" and weighs 170 pounds soaking wet. You need to be Rafalski-level skilled, Bouillon-level tough, and/or Lebda-level strong to have an NHL career with that kind of frame. Jack Hillen appears to be managing OK with that, but Ness will need to really shine in the pros to move up with Hillen already on the team for the foreseeable future.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; "><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>23. Brock Nelson</b>, W, North Dakota Fighting Sioux (NCAA)</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Drafted</b>: First Round, 2010</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Last Season</b>: Warroad High School (USHS)</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Viewing Experience</b>: Highlights, prospect camp</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>NHL ETA</b>: 2014-2015 season</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Ceiling</b>: Sky's the limit.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Floor</b>: Never sees the NHL.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Comments</b>: The Isles traded up to nab Nelson this past June, and for good reason. He's already made waves at the preliminary USA WJC camp, with some observers saying he outperformed fellow first rounder Nick Bjugstad. He looked good at the blue/orange game as well, showing surprisingly fluid skating for a big man and a pretty nasty set of passing chops. Nelson is pretty much all potential at this point, a guy who will skip the customary stint in the USHL and head straight to college. He'll be teammates with the Isles' Jason Gregoire there, and by next year, they should be playing on a line together. I'll be able to watch a handful of his games on TV this year, so I'll be updating everyone on how he looks.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; "><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>24. Anton Klementyev</b>, D, Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL)</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Drafted</b>: Fifth Round, 2009</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Last Season</b>: Bridgeport, AHL; Islanders, NHL; Team Russia, WJC</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Viewing Experience</b>: 5 games</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>NHL ETA</b>: 2013-2014 season</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Ceiling</b>: A classic middle-of-the-road stay-at-home defenseman.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Floor</b>: Back to Russia.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Comments</b>: Anton made his NHL debut in a pinch when the Isles were crunched for roster space. He showed pretty good competency in his eight minutes before he was promptly sent back down. He spent time in the press box with Bridgeport as well, though he got into about half the team's games. He went to the WJC with the Russians, but not before Snowy tried to use him as a bargaining chip to get Petrov out of his contract with Ak Bars. He performed admirably at the WJC, though his team didn't; that was largely not his fault, considering he was the only Russian defender who seemed to care about his own zone. As a matter of fact, Klementyev is totally devoid of any offensive aptitude whatsoever. His sole responsibility is guarding the front of the net and hitting opposing attackers, two things he seems to do pretty well. Couple that with his strong frame, and he's a candidate to see the NHL with some seasoning down the road. If he develops any offense in the process, it'll be a huge bonus.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; "><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>25. Corey Trivino</b>, C, Boston University Terriers (NCAA)</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Drafted</b>: Second Round, 2008</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Last Season</b>: BU, NCAA</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Viewing Experience</b>: 4 games</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>NHL ETA</b>: 2014-2015 season</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Ceiling</b>: Another Frans Nielsen.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Floor</b>: Never sees the NHL.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Comments</b>: Trivino saw his stock plummet this season after his offensive production sputtered, he suffered a serious leg injury, and he got into trouble with the team for off-campus drinking and nearly lost his scholarship. I saw him play in both his conference tournament and in the college Winter Classic. His skills are still there, and his offensive numbers probably dipped because his veteran teammates all left for the pros. That being said, his struggles shouldn't be ignored, and his value took a tremendous hit since this time last year. His all-around game is solid, and his style is eerily reminiscent of #51-- those are the only two reasons I won't write him off. If he doesn't have a rebound year, though, it might be time to forget about him.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; "><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>26. Jason Clark</b>, C, Wisconsin Badgers (NCAA)</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Drafted</b>: Third Round, 2010</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Last Season</b>: Shattuck-St. Mary's High School, Minnesota (USHS)</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Viewing Experience</b>: Prospect camp</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>NHL ETA</b>: 2015-2016 season</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Ceiling</b>: Too early to tell.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Floor</b>: Too early to tell.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Comments</b>: A self-styled grinder, Clark appears to understand that his best shot at making the NHL is as a bottom six center in the Dave Bolland mold (though we could only be so lucky if Clark turned out the same way). He brings a large frame to the table and experience at one of the nation's premier hockey high schools. I'll be able to catch his Wisconsin games on TV every so often, so I'll keep you updated. For those of you who didn't know, Clark is the fruit of the Billy Guerin trade from two years ago.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; "><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>27. Brian Day</b>, W, Colgate Raiders (NCAA)</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Drafted</b>: Sixth Round, 2006</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Last Season</b>: Colgate, NCAA</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Viewing Experience</b>: 1 game</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>NHL ETA</b>: 2012-2013 season</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Ceiling</b>: A longshot, but could make the NHL in some capacity.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Floor</b>: Never sees the NHL.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Comments</b>: Day has quietly racked up a distinguished college career since the day he was drafted, and he'll cap it off trying to bring Colgate from obscurity to the Frozen Four tournament as captain of the team. Day has very good offensive skills and vision, but frankly speaking, he's a floater. It could be because he's a weak skater, but Day often finds himself either skating upright or standing still for a substantial portion of the time he's on the ice. He does try to battle along the boards and grind a little, but it's not nearly enough if he wants to make the NHL. Day has the time to make a change, but until then, he's not likely to crack an NHL top six at this point, so he has to develop a constant motor on the ice to succeed.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Tier Four: Write-Offs</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Justin DiBenedetto</b>: It appears from his preseason exploits that he may be trying to make it as an agitator. I wish him luck in that department, but I don't think it'll happen. DiBo doesn't have the skills to justify his lack of motor, which Scott Gordon says is improving; I'll believe it when I see it. I don't see an NHL future for Justin within the organization, though I'd love to be proven wrong.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>David Toews</b>: Unfortunately, he has neither the skills nor frame to accompany his high character and pretty good sense of grit. In the many games I've seen him play, I wouldn't call him noticeable. I hope his transfer to Brandon sparks something, but at the end of the day, I doubt it'll turn things around.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Robin Figren</b>: He's spent a long time skating around without any particular purpose or direction, and the stats show it. It'd take an absolute miracle to bring his stock back from the dead. Spending that stint in Sweden was a horrible idea, and between him and Sean Bergenheim, I'd argue any Scandinavian player who takes that route is committing career suicide.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Tony Romano</b>: Picked up from the Devils in exchange for Ben Walter. Neither is a consistent NHL player. His contract will probably be nixed at some point to accommodate other prospects.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Tomas Marcinko</b>: If it wasn't gonna happen by now, it was never gonna happen. He appeared to have what it takes to be a fourth line center at one point, but the Isles probably didn't see it that way. We hardly knew ye.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Jase Weslosky</b>: The Isles theoretically still hold his rights, so he's included here as a formality. However, he spent last season academically ineligible, and with the goalie logjam in front of him, his window has closed.</span></div></span></span></div></span></span></div></span></span></div></span></span></div></span></span></div></span></span></div></span></span></div></span></span></div></span></span></div></span></b></span></div>Matty Monkeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886209051694436068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4416312295793546763.post-36047802624989825422010-09-29T17:49:00.010-04:002010-10-02T15:58:39.518-04:00Ranking the Prospects, Part II<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; "><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; ">For Part I, <a href="http://islesprospects.blogspot.com/2010/09/complete-ranking-of-isles-prospects.html">click here</a>.</span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; "><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; "><b>Tier Two: Red-Chip Prospects</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; "><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>8. Kevin Poulin</b>, G, Kalmazoo Wings (ECHL)</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Drafted</b>: Fifth Round, 2008</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Last Season</b>: Victoriaville Tigres, QMJHL</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Viewing Experience</b>: 1 game</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>NHL ETA</b>: 2012-2013 season</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Ceiling</b>: A starting goaltender.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Floor</b>: Never sees the NHL.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Comments</b>: Poulin was receiving praise left and right from everyone who witnessed his performance in the wide-open, offensively-minded QMJHL. He was once regarded as a top talent for the 2008 draft, but a lackluster performance leading up to the draft caused his stock to crash. The Isles took a chance on him, and his stock has since recovered to its previous level. After a brilliant campaign for the Tigres in which he nearly singlehandedly propelled them to the QMJHL finals, Poulin was signed to an ELC this past off-season. I haven't seen him enough to profile him, but his production has earned him this ranking. In all likelihood, if Rick DiPietro stays healthy, he's headed to the ECHL to start the year.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; "><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>9. David Ullström</b>, C/W, Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL)</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Drafted</b>: Fourth Round, 2008</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Last Season</b>: HV71, SEL</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Viewing Experience</b>: 2 games</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>NHL ETA</b>: 2011-2012 season</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Ceiling</b>: A good third liner.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Floor</b>: A grinder.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Comments</b>: Ullström first hit the scene in the 2008 WJC, where he represented Sweden with solid results. Later, he went back to the SEL and played with HV71, where he won the league championship this past season and picked up a playoff goal in the process. In prospect camp, he showed a good combination of size, speed, and physical play. It appeared he had a nice feel for the game, but it was impossible to tell in a game that didn't count for anything. In my other viewings of him, he barely had any ice time. My understanding is that he doesn't have the hands to be a top six player, but he brings other skills to the table that will allow to him to contribute on the bottom six. He'll probably spend this year and most of next year in the AHL before getting his first taste of the NHL.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; "><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>10. Blake Kessel</b>, D, University of New Hampshire Wildcats (NCAA)</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Drafted</b>: Sixth Round, 2007</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Last Season</b>: UNH, NCAA</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Viewing Experience</b>: 4 games</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>NHL ETA</b>: 2012-2013 season</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Ceiling</b>: A reliable 22-minute all-around defenseman.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Floor</b>: Never sees the NHL.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Comments</b>: Kessel is being underrated because of his unimpressive pedigree, which seems paradoxical because his brother is one of the premier scoring wingers in the NHL. However, when you consider the fact that the Isles fan base has probably had enough of experimenting on All-Star players' brothers, this stigma becomes understandable. I can tell you that Kessel doesn't deserve that label, though; he's too good to lump in with the likes of The Better Lindros. He plays a very fundamentally sound all-around game, and he has all of the physical tools to succeed in the NHL. He has quietly lit up his conference in college hockey after a very successful campaign in the USHL. He made the Frozen Four tournament look like child's play two years in a row; it wasn't only me who was saying that he could've been signed to a contract right after his team suffered an unexpected loss to RIT in the postseason (and it wasn't his fault, either).</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; "><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>11. Mark Katic</b>, D, Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL)</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Drafted</b>: Third Round, 2007</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Last Season</b>: Bridgeport Sound Tigers, AHL</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Viewing Experience</b>: 2 games</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>NHL ETA</b>: 2011-2012 season</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Ceiling</b>: A nice offensive defenseman and power-play specialist to have on your team.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Floor</b>: A career AHLer.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Comments</b>: Katic is another product from the quiet but thus-far successful 2007 draft, in which the Isles didn't have a pick in the first two rounds. He suffered a shoulder injury last year, hurting his stock; however, it came after an AHL All-Star selection in his first full season in the Bridge. Some say he's the organization's best skater; I give that title to Aaron Ness, but it doesn't hurt to have two guys who can start a legitimate argument over it. Bridgeport observers praised his power-play ability last year. I have doubts about his work in his own zone, considering it has a ways to go before it's passable in the NHL, but he'll probably merit a call-up sometime during the next couple seasons to give us a better look at what we've really got in him.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; "><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>12. Matt Donovan</b>, D, Denver University Pioneers (NCAA)</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Drafted</b>: Fourth Round, 2008</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Last Season</b>: DU, NCAA; Team USA, WJC</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Viewing Experience</b>: >10 games</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>NHL ETA</b>: 2012-2013 season</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Ceiling</b>: An All-Star caliber NHL defenseman.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Floor</b>: Career AHLer.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Comments</b>: Donovan was by far the toughest guy to place. He couldn't have had a more spectacular year between DU and the WJC. To call his performance "fantastic" would be an understatement. He admirably shared top-pairing duties with Cam Fowler for the red, white and blue; for the rest of the season, he starred as the top defenseman on a DU team that was dominant throughout the regular season before getting shocked in the first round of the NCAA tournament. His play in his own zone showed such marked improvement that I could barely believe it was actually him wearing the uniform. He still lacks in the physicality department, but his positioning is great and his transition game is wonderful. Offensively, he showed flashes of what could lie in store for us down the road: wonderful setups and crafty shooting that would fool any below-average NHL goaltender. Keep in mind he managed to accomplish all of this as a 19-year-old freshman.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; ">And that's what keeps him from getting ranked higher: he's too far away. If the Isles brass signed him, I would've ranked him in the top five; however, he's got at least one more year in college, and then at least one year in the AHL, barring a dominant performance from him next year. However, there's little denying that Donovan could be something special when he hits Long Island. His play on both the national and international levels this season put the scouting community on notice.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; "><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>13. Dustin Kohn</b>, D, Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL)</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Drafted</b>: Second Round, 2005</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Last Season</b>: Bridgeport Sound Tigers, AHL; New York Islanders, NHL</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Viewing Experience</b>: >10 games</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>NHL ETA</b>: Cracked the NHL in 2010; will battle for a spot this upcoming training camp.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Ceiling</b>: A respectable NHL defenseman.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Floor</b>: A career AHLer.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Comments</b>: At this point, there's not much to be said. Kohn is what he is. He has very likely maxed out. I, for one, liked his performance in the NHL this past year, and I don't mind him as the eighth or ninth defenseman on the depth chart. He would need to set the world on fire to prove he's anything more than that, though. He's already made an AHL All-Star team, and he's already done well in his cup of coffee with the Islanders. Unless he does something spectacular, he'll eventually be a victim of the numbers game. In the meantime, though, he's ready to make a contribution to the NHL team in a pinch.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; "><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>14. Shane Sims</b>, D, Ohio State University Buckeyes (NCAA)</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Drafted</b>: Fifth Round, 2006</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Last Season</b>: OSU, NCAA</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Viewing Experience</b>: 3 games</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>NHL ETA</b>: 2012-2013 season</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Ceiling</b>: A solid all-around 22-minute defenseman.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Floor</b>: An AHL-NHL tweener.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Comments</b>: Anyone familiar with my Isles-related opinions knows that Sims is my favorite prospect. He's entirely overlooked by the fan base for several reasons: (a) he plays for a mediocre program; (b) it's been four years since his draft year; (c) higher-profile prospects have since entered the system; (d) he's never put up eye-popping numbers; and (e) he's never on national TV. Everything about his NHL potential only comes through when you're watching him firsthand. He has an impressive all-around repertoire with above-average attributes in nearly every aspect of the game, with his hockey sense and his heavy slapshot being the most noticeable skills. He started as an undersized nobody coming out of a small town in upstate New York, but after a sneaky-good year in the USHL, he quietly picked up steam by growing three inches and adding 25 pounds over the course of his college career. Now standing at 6'1" 200, Sims has the frame to handle the rigors of pro hockey with relative ease. I think he's a no-doubter to get signed to an ELC after the year ends, and I'm confident he will eventually see the NHL.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; "><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>15. Jason Gregoire</b>, W, North Dakota Fighting Sioux (NCAA)</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Drafted</b>: Third Round, 2007</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Last Season</b>: UND, NCAA</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Viewing Experience</b>: 7-8 games</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>NHL ETA</b>: 2013-2014 season</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Ceiling</b>: The next Kris Versteeg, but with a better wrist shot.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Floor</b>: A grinder. I doubt at this point that he never sees a shift.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Comments</b>: Gregoire is another NCAA kid who just doesn't get as much love from the fan base because they're not able to actually see him play all the time. If you have a premium cable package with the sports channels, you can catch Gregoire on Fox College Sports about 6 times a year, which is even more important info to know this year because Brock Nelson will be his teammate at North Dakota. I suggest watching Gregoire because he's becoming a keeper: a guy with a very high level of hockey sense with the skills to match. He packs a great wrist shot, which he used on his way to leading UND in goals last season. He's responsible at every turn, which is something you can see from him every game you watch; the first time I ever saw him play, he took a sure goal away from James van Riemsdyk in the NCAA tournament with wonderful stick work on the backcheck. He's a guy who's been steadily improving and might leave school early to join the Isles.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; "><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>16. Rhett Rakhshani</b>, W, Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL)</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Drafted</b>: Fourth Round, 2006</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Last Season</b>: DU, NCAA; Bridgeport, AHL</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Viewing Experience</b>: 5-6 games</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>NHL ETA</b>: 2011-2012 season</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Ceiling</b>: A nice bottom six player.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Floor</b>: A career AHLer.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Comments</b>: Rakhshani was the longtime unquestioned leader of the Pioneers who heavily considered jumping to the pros after his junior season before deciding to come back for one more round. His pursuit of a championship fell short at the hands of the feisty RIT team that also downed UNH in the following game. Despite that, though, Rakhshani put the cap on a great college campaign that saw his stock steadily rise. My doubts about him don't come from the hockey sense department or character department; he excels in both areas. Ultimately, I question whether he has the size, strength, and speed to translate his game to the pros. He found himself knocked off the puck a little too easily in college, which doesn't bode well for the AHL, let alone the NHL. His speed is good, but he's not a burner and won't easily beat a competent NHL skater in a footrace. His shot is consistent but not special, and his stick work won't create much space for him. So while Rakhshani brings a lot of important contributions to the table that could be useful to the Islanders down the road-- especially his mastery on the PK-- I'm not sure whether he can handle the NHL physically. Time will tell, and I'll be rooting for him.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; "><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>17. Casey Cizikas</b>, C, Mississauga-St. Michael's Majors (OHL)</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Drafted</b>: Fourth Round, 2009</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Last Season</b>: MSM, OHL</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Viewing Experience</b>: 1 game</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>NHL ETA</b>: 2012-2013 season</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Ceiling</b>: The next Mike Sillinger.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Floor</b>: A career AHLer.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Comments</b>: Cizikas overcame some legal troubles to re-focus on hockey and turn in a wonderful year with Mississauga. More or less, this upcoming season will tell us a great deal about whether Cizikas is the real thing. He comes back to a good supporting cast in Mississauga, and his junior coach will head up the Canadian WJC squad, where he may make the team as its fourth line center. Cizikas impressed in rookie camp, and some members of the fan base have begun following him in earnest. Cizikas's strength is in his hockey sense (notice the recurring theme here) and his grinding skills, particularly in the face-off circle. He has good fundamental skills to go along with a decent offensive arsenal, though I don't see him ever putting up high point totals should he be fortunate enough to make the NHL. I think Sillinger is a good comparison here because Cizikas does many of the same things well. If he gets far enough to merit NHL consideration, he'll have to compete with the likes of Frans Nielsen, David Ullström, and others to secure a spot.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; ">For Part III, <a href="http://islesprospects.blogspot.com/2010/09/ranking-prospects-part-iii.html">click here</a>.</span></div></span></span></div></span></span></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div></span></span></div></span></span></div></span></span></div></span></span></div></span></span></div></span></span></div></span></span></div></span></span></div>Matty Monkeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886209051694436068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4416312295793546763.post-72201071430820563582010-09-24T00:44:00.012-04:002010-09-29T19:37:28.562-04:00A Complete Ranking of Isles Prospects, First Edition (Part I)This list has been anticipated by about five people for a pretty long time, so without further ado, I will rank the Isles' prospects from top to bottom. In case you don't know how I rank, feel free to consult <a href="http://islesprospects.blogspot.com/2010/09/ranking-prospects-bankability-scale.html">my post on The Bankability Scale</a> to get caught up. The other aspects of the list should be pretty self-explanatory.<div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Tier One: Solid Bets for the NHL</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>1. Travis Hamonic</b>, D, Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Drafted</b>: Second Round, 2008</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Last Season</b>: Brandon Wheat Kings, WHL; Memorial Cup Finalist; Team Canada, WJC</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Viewing Experience</b>: >10 games</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>NHL ETA</b>: February 2011</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Ceiling</b>: A legitimate 25-minute defenseman and one of the top blue liners in the NHL.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Floor</b>: A solid 20-minute defenseman.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Comments</b>: Hamonic spent the past season kicking ass and taking names in three different settings, launching him onto the mainstream radar and into the top spot in a deep Islanders system. It's easier to ask what Hamonic <i>doesn't</i> bring to the table, considering he has such a well-rounded, complete game that it's hard to find flaws unless you nitpick. He was originally known as a stay-at-home defenseman, yet he developed into a monster who can log heavy minutes in all situations and contribute significantly in all three zones. He navigates the penalty kill and the power play with equal aplomb, and he proved himself against elite talents left and right between the WHL, WJC, and Memorial Cup. He guards the front of the net, he plays the body instead of the puck, he has wonderful fundamental skills, and he's blessed with the physical wherewithal to accomplish anything on the ice. By all accounts, his character is off the charts as well. He plays with a noticeable mean streak that will soon grace the ice sheet in Uniondale. My praise for him obviously could not be more effusive.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; "><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>2. Kirill Petrov</b>, W, Ak Bars Kazan (KHL)</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Drafted</b>: Third Round, 2008</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Last Season</b>: Ak Bars Kazan, KHL; Team Russia, WJC; Team Russia, SSS</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Viewing Experience</b>: 4 games</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>NHL ETA</b>: Now, if the Islanders can sort out his contract situation.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Ceiling</b>: A legit top six forward.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Floor</b>: Oleg Kvasha, just faster.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Comments</b>: Petrov received a fair bit of accolades during his draft year, but his contract situation caused his stock to plummet. The Isles, with their abundance of picks, took the flyer on him in the middle rounds. From what I've seen, it'll eventually pay off. Regardless of when he shows up in North America for good, screwed-up development notwithstanding, he appears to be the real deal. Petrov is a big-bodied, strong-skating, quick-wristed player who focuses more on the offensive side than the defensive side. He shows good hockey sense and plays with somewhat of a mean streak. The downside to Petrov is that he shows bouts of inconsistency, his passing needs serious work, and he's essentially rotting while his championship Russian team stubbornly refuses to integrate him into the regular rotation. Scott Gordon unusually tipped his hand in praising Petrov during rookie camp, but unfortunately, the public was denied a live viewing of him at Orange vs. Blue (he was held out as a precaution because his shoulder was acting up). There's a reason Garth Snow used Anton Klementyev as a bargaining chip to try and bring him here: he can help the Isles right this second. It's just a question of when he can get to the Island.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; "><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>3. Calvin de Haan</b>, D, Oshawa Generals (OHL)</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Drafted</b>: First Round, 2009</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Last Season</b>: Oshawa Generals, OHL; Team Canada, WJC</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Viewing Experience</b>: 5-7 games</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>NHL ETA</b>: 2011-2012 season</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Ceiling</b>: A 22-minute defenseman who can handle the other team's top line if he has the right partner.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Floor</b>: An 18-minute defenseman used primarily in offensive situations.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Comments</b>: Calvin's stock suffered a bit this past year because he suffered a serious shoulder injury that required surgery. I ran into him at rookie camp, and he looked about 20 pounds heavier. That being said, de Haan will definitely require a readjustment period to shake the rust off as he dives back into regular hockey. It'll take a miracle for him to make the NHL team, especially over Hamonic.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; ">De Haan is among the smartest prospects in the world at any position, a trait that was particularly on display at the WJC. He makes plays that other defensemen simply wouldn't think to make. He's a very gifted skater and stickhandler who is definitely pass-first rather than shoot-first in the offensive zone. Don't expect him to rack up goals during his NHL career; he'll be much more inclined to pile on in the assists department. His defensive positioning is very fundamentally sound, and he'll hopefully have less issues getting physically overpowered by bigger players now that he's added some weight. De Haan has had a storied tenure headlining for the Generals, and he probably has a good NHL career ahead of him in the near future.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; "><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>4. Nino Niederreiter</b>, W, Portland Winterhawks (WHL)</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Drafted</b>: First Round, 2010</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Last Season</b>: Portland Winterhawks, WHL; Team Switzerland, WJC</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Viewing Experience</b>: 4 games</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>NHL ETA</b>: 2011-2012 season</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Ceiling</b>: A top six heart-and-soul power forward.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Floor</b>: A premium grinder.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Comments</b>: Niederreiter, the Isles' most recent first round draft pick, embodies every characteristic the Isles seek in their players, which is naturally why all of our forecasts for who they would select turned out horribly wrong. Niederreiter combines size, skating, hands, hockey sense, and sterling character into one very formidable package. The knock on Niederreiter is his acceleration, and rightfully so. His top speed is okay, but he has trouble reaching it in the open ice. His goals are scored in the dirty areas, and he probably won't see many breakaways in the NHL. Nevertheless, he takes his proverbial lunchpail to work every day and simply does whatever it takes to help his team win the game, from scoring to backchecking to winning battles along the boards to hitting people. His mean streak came out during the WJC, where he carried Switzerland to a surprising semifinal finish. He was the hero against Russia, where his two goals capped off a remarkable comeback victory for the Swiss. While he's physically ready for the NHL, I think it's a better idea for him to spend the year dominating juniors and making a return trip to the WJC in Buffalo.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; "><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>5. Matt Martin</b>, W, Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL)</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Drafted</b>: Fifth Round, 2008</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Last Season</b>: Bridgeport Sound Tigers, AHL; New York Islanders, NHL</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Viewing Experience</b>: >10 games</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>NHL ETA</b>: Cracked the NHL in 2010; 2011-2012 season for a regular shift</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Ceiling</b>: A top six enforcer in the mold of Milan Lucic.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Floor</b>: An all-around grinder/enforcer.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Comments</b>: An instant fan favorite the minute he donned an NHL uniform, Martin still has something to prove regardless of his overcoming long odds to make the League as an unheralded fifth-round reach in 2008. After going undrafted at every possible level of amateur hockey, he earned his Isles draft selection and later fought for a cameo appearance in the bigs. Frankly, from the way he was playing, he could've stayed for good. He provided excellent net front presence, much-needed puck protection and physical intimidation, and indomitable work ethic.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; ">Why, then, do I advocate for Martin to spend a majority of the year in Bridgeport? Because I think his untapped offensive acumen could be further developed with spectacular results. While Chris Botta boldly compared him to Milan Lucic awhile back, I believe Martin could become better than Lucic if he maxes out. An unlikely scenario? Absolutely, but one worth a roll of the dice considering James Wisniewski, Zenon Konopka, and Trevor Gillies are ready to bring the nasty for the Islanders this year.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; "><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>6. Mikko Koskinen</b>, G, Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL)</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Drafted</b>: Second Round, 2009</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Last Season</b>: Bridgeport Sound Tigers, AHL; Utah Grizzlies, ECHL</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Viewing Experience</b>: 1 game</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>NHL ETA</b>: 2012-2013 season</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Ceiling</b>: A high-caliber starting NHL goalie.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Floor</b>: A career backup.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Comments</b>: Koskinen is the 6'7" Finnish goalie that the Islanders snatched up with their second round pick in the 2010 draft. He's still lanky, but he's apparently been working a fair amount with Sudsie Maharaj in honing his skills and adapting to the North American game. He's surprisingly athletic and agile for his size, though we're yet to see the effects of his recent hip surgery on his AHL performance. If he has a spectacular year in Connecticut, he could see NHL time in 2011-2012; however, he likely won't be given serious responsibility until the subsequent season. He'd be ranked higher if he had a good performance throughout this past season. </span></div></span></span></div></span></span></div></span></span></div></span></span></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; "><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>7. Jesse Joensuu</b>, W, Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL)</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Drafted</b>: Second Round, 2006</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Last Season</b>: Bridgeport Sound Tigers, AHL; New York Islanders, NHL</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Viewing Experience</b>: >10 games</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>NHL ETA</b>: Now.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Ceiling</b>: A good all-around third liner.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Floor</b>: A good all-around fourth liner.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><b>Comments</b>: Joensuu is, in my mind, the most consistently underrated Islanders prospect by the fan base at large. With the importation of so many shiny new toys, it's understandable that the masses would get starry-eyed and excited over sublime talents like Kirill Kabanov and overachievers like Anders Lee. However, Joensuu has been overlooked for his performance at the professional level, particularly at the NHL level. What I saw out of Joensuu during his brief NHL stints is exactly what I want out of a bottom six player: consistent net front presence, willingness to grind, a little bit of a mean streak, responsibility in all zones, good hockey sense, and nice size to boot. His skating has improved each season he's been in North America. He has put up some decent point totals in the AHL, and there's no reason to believe he can't be a late bloomer like fellow big man Nikolai Antropov. Will he ever toss up a 70-point season? In all likelihood, he won't. But if he turns in a 35-point season with respectable +/- numbers while bringing all the aforementioned things to the table, I don't see the argument that he doesn't fit, considering that'd be perfect for the bottom six. Just because he's unspectacular doesn't mean he's undeserving of any attention whatsoever.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; ">For Part II, <a href="http://islesprospects.blogspot.com/2010/09/ranking-prospects-part-ii.html">click here</a>.</span></div></span></span></div>Matty Monkeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886209051694436068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4416312295793546763.post-43155720314589345642010-09-24T00:00:00.007-04:002010-09-24T00:40:47.179-04:00Ranking Prospects: The Bankability Scale<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In case you're unfamiliar with The Bankability Scale, I made it up myself a couple years ago. It's totally untested, entirely unconventional, and (unfortunately) uniquely my own. I will detail it to you below so you understand exactly where I'm coming from when I rank prospects.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Why did I choose this particular method? In short, I'm only interested in what I can count on to help the NHL team. It's not necessarily about potential, it's a combination of ceiling </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">and</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> the probability a player reaches that ceiling. The players closer to the NHL are the ones who are concordantly further along in their development 99% of the time. While many fans fall in love with high-ceiling guys who are many years away from the NHL, I value a lower-ceiling player who can provide help to the Islanders in the near future.</span></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The Breakdown</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Proximity to the NHL (50%): </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Simply put, this is the most important part of evaluating any player who is not currently in the NHL. This doesn't necessarily imply a player's current League; for instance, Nino Niederreiter, who played for the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL last year, is closer to making an NHL contribution than Justin DiBenedetto, who spent all of last year with Bridgeport of the AHL. The ultimate question posed by this criterion: "What is the countdown to a consistent NHL shift for this player?"</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">NHL Potential (30%):</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> It's certainly important, but I rate it lower than proximity to the NHL because it's rather worthless unless a player actually reaches it. While a player may be highly skilled, this rating may take a hit if the player shows certain inclinations that throw his future NHL performance into doubt. For instance, Robin Figren is very talented, but his hockey sense needs a lot of work. Thus, he is rated far lower than the less-gifted Casey Cizikas.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Health (10%): </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The unfortunate reality of the NHL is that health is precious, and significant injuries make a productive career less likely. Exactly how much less likely is obviously dependent on the frequency and severity of a player's injuries. While young men aged 17-22 heal much better than older people, it's a warning sign when you can't stay on the ice.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Character (10%): </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Character alone won't get you to the NHL, but it sure can help your chances (just ask Matt Martin). On the other hand, character can really work against you (just ask Kirill Kabanov). I like the Isles' general strategy of avoiding character risks, but I don't consider it a very important element before a guy hits the NHL. The impact is most visible after a player reaches the bigtime.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Wild Card Factors (Variable): </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">If you fill a particular role especially well, if you will satisfy a dire need for the NHL team, or if you bring something else to the table that can't be categorized under the other four labels, it'll be taken into consideration on an </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">ad hoc </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">basis. The best example I can think of is Stefan Della Rovere, formerly of the Capitals and now of the Blues, who is just an excellent agitator. He gets bonus points for filling that role to perfection</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Factors Not Considered</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Pedigree</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">: The only day your draft position matters is the day you're drafted. The next day, and every day after that until you either crack the NHL for good or leave the organization, it's all about how you look in games that matter against age-appropriate competition. I'm sure we all know examples of top draft picks who have failed miserably and low draft picks who have gone on to wild success in the League. Pedigree simply doesn't determine anything about how well somebody plays the game of hockey. Notice how, as an amateur scout with no credibility, I will wantonly ignore the consensus opinions of several entire scouting staffs for NHL teams.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Hype</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">: I don't care what TSN, McKeen's, RLR, ISS, CSB, Puck Prospectus, team message boards and blogs, team officials, anonymous executives and scouts, or any other individuals think about a player. I'm here to form my own opinion. I'm certainly not here to aggregate and/or copy-paste the praise and/or condemnations of third-party sources. If I don't know, I'll admit I don't know.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Transfer Issues</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">: Kirill Petrov's contract situation with Ak Bars Kazan is of no consequence to me. I'm not in the business of predicting how that will turn out. I'm also not really concerned about the $250,000 it'll take to pry Anders Nilsson from Luleå in Sweden. Team officials will sort that out one way or another whenever it's appropriate. Speculation on those types of circumstances proves rather useless.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Organizational Depth</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">: I will not rank a defenseman lower than a goalie because goalie is a greater organizational need </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">unless</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, as mentioned above, that fact clearly makes a player more likely to see a regular NHL shift sooner rather than later. The Isles' organizational glut at center, however, does not ruin the stock in any way, shape, or form of a guy like Brock Nelson. Needs will constantly be in flux.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Trade Value</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">: I don't consider prospects as trade chips first and foremost. If the deal is right, any player's available in a trade. While I do view prospects as assets, I do not view them as commodities. The farm system is not a chaingun for the GM to constantly take shots at landing a big fish on the trade market. Transactions on young players are to be executed judiciously at all times.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Wrapping Up</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">That about sums up the system in its entirety. Yes, it's probably flawed, and yes, it is subject to change. Nothing about it is set in stone. I'll adjust it if and only if it's entirely clear that change is necessary. It hasn't failed me yet, though.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div>Matty Monkeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886209051694436068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4416312295793546763.post-57678203111761027342010-09-23T23:50:00.003-04:002010-09-24T00:43:40.987-04:00GlossaryI'm going to keep this here in case you get lost in the lingo I use. In case you couldn't tell, I invented it myself, and it's completely inscrutable. Thus, I feel this section is pretty essential. Not to worry; I'll be editing it as the blog chugs along.<div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>*CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION*</b></span></div>Matty Monkeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886209051694436068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4416312295793546763.post-20044069839668741532010-09-23T23:34:00.005-04:002010-09-23T23:55:34.747-04:00Welcome.After the exhortation (okay, light suggestion) of dozens among dozens of people (okay, like... three) who are irrationally obsessed with all things Islanders, I have finally decided to get my act together and start this blog. I named it after my favorite song about Long Island by my all-time favorite music group, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_La_Soul">De La Soul</a>.<div><br /></div><div>I'll begin with a quick introduction: my name is Matthew, and I picked up the Isles bug from living in Nassau County for the better part of two decades. After making the apocalyptically bad decision to attend law school, I now live in Washington, D.C. I'm on schedule to graduate in December 2011 (theoretically, anyway) with a JD and an LLM in Taxation. Riveting stuff, I know.</div><div><br /></div><div>I follow the Isles' prospects pretty closely. Somewhere in there, I squeeze in some actual NHL games. Most of the initial readers will probably know me as the infamous <b>Dice on Ice</b> from HFBoards or <b>Mister Derp</b> from Islander Mania. For those of you who are into that thing, I'm also known as <b>Smokey</b> on Mets Refugees and <b>Prince of Thieves</b> on TheGangGreen.</div><div><br /></div><div>Most of my long-winded, completely ridiculous stream-of-consciousness rants on various topics will be relocated here. My infinitely long game reports from various forms of amateur hockey will be posted here as well. For those of you who have actually enjoyed these seemingly unending dissertations, this will be your (hopefully) daily dose of that.</div><div><br /></div><div>On a final note, thanks for stopping by. I greatly appreciate your readership. Feel free to drop a comment every once in awhile, but I will moderate them for spam, flame wars, and general buffoonery. That being said, don't hesitate to disagree with me, considering I'm probably wrong about everything. When in doubt, keep the following in mind: I am not a professional, and I am clueless.</div>Matty Monkeeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886209051694436068noreply@blogger.com0